Editor, Times-Union:

Around November 3, give or take a few hours, I had a “health emergency,” wherein I was walking to the bathroom at home when, suddenly, my legs gave out.

I could not stand up or use my feet or legs for any reason. I?tried crawling to the bathroom, but couldn’t get there in time; so I turned around and began trying to crawl/drag myself to the front door of my home, hoping to call out for help. Over 2 hours trying!

In the end, I spent 2-1/2 days on the floor of the apartment, shouting, pounding on the door and floor and floor of my home in an effort to get help.

I tried to get to my knees so as to open the door/unlock it so as to call out for help. No use!

It wasn’t until day 3, lying on the floor next to the door of the apartment wherein I was finally able to gather the strength to unlock the door and with the chair, and called out to my neighbors. One body got her cell phone and called an ambulance.

I spent several hours at KCH where their personnel cleaned me up, and later in the early hours of Nov. 4th, transported me to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.

After spending a few days in Lutheran Hospital, I was then moved to a nursing facility for rehabilitation.

The care at all 3 facilities was truly exceptional.

The food, at least at Lutheran Hospital, was also excellent. The rehab facility ... not so hot!

In the end, I spent almost all of November 2022 in a hospital or rehab, including Thanksgiving Day!

I came to adore those young ladies in the nursing home, as they were all very kind; and 3 of them were pregnant, yet took their time to look after this old man.

This entire experience gave me real appreciation for the work which EMTs, nurses and aides, doctors, all of which were caring and helped me to get back on these two feet and back home.

Also, my deepest appreciation goes to these two deer ladies, among the best neighbors anyone could have. Thank you!

May God bless them all!

William Gerald Smith

Warsaw