Eulogies
- John
Korzak Eulogy |
Unger Family Eulogy
Greg's
Eulogy
By John & Sandy Korzak
First of all I am proud
and honored to have been asked by Greg's family to give his eulogy
today. Most of the thoughts and words that I will be speaking are
from my wife, Sandy.
When my wife and I think
of Greg, these are the qualities that we think of:
Greg had a kind heart,
A good sense of humor, Smart, well he comes from an intelligent family,
A devout Red Wings fan, Had a lot of good friends, in fact a ton of
friends, He loved animals, Patient, Greg was very patient, Greg took
everything in stride, Greg valued life.
And these are his special
qualities. When God gives us someone like Greg for a short time, God
is usually telling us, take a look at this person, his message, his
example. Well, the first thing, Greg brought out the best in people.
Didn't he bring out the best in you? When you were with Greg you could
feel his energy, you couldn't help but like and love Greg.
A small example is Greg's
fundraisers when so many friends and strangers stepped forward to
help Greg: Auctions, dinners, $100 and $20 bills in those canisters,
benefit Red Wing Alumni hockey games, and the largest gathering of
law enforcement in the Detroit area to raise money for Greg. Yes,
Greg relit the American Spirit around here, and you people raised
$200,000 to help Greg. The kindness, the small gifts and the large
gifts completely overwhelmed Greg and his family. They prayed to God
and asked to raise $100,000, and through all of you, friends, and
family, they raised $200,000.
Greg's second special quality
was his courage. One year after Greg's first double lung transplant,
his new lungs were failing, and he was facing his second lung transplant.
Most people after one transplant wouldn't be able to go through a
second, but Greg knew that this is what he had to do.
The doctors had consulted
with Bill, Barb, Jamie and Kris and decided that they would take a
lobe from Bill's lung and a lobe from Jamie's lung and would transplant
them into Greg. Bill told me a story of something that had taken place
in Greg's St. Louis hospital room just a few days before his second
transplant. Greg was in bed, sitting up, and leaning over his hospital
bed tray which allowed him to breath easier. Greg had to gasp and
labor for every breath. Greg thought he would break the ice with a
little humor.
Greg said, "Dad"
Bill said, "Yes, Greg."
Greg said, "Does this mean if I take one of your lungs, that when
I'm 50 years old, one of my lungs will be 100 years old?"
So, once again Greg was
facing one of the worst days of his life; a surgery so invasive, so
difficult and life threatening, but he handled it so calmly. Greg
was taking it head on, both mentally and physically. And to help his
family through this hard time, he used his gift of Humor to lighten
their load. What courage and calmness that Greg possessed. Well, with
a lot of prayers beforehand and during the surgery, by Kris and Barb
and everyone back home, all three made it through their surgeries.
This was the first time
that my wife, Sandy, and I had witnessed just a portion of what Greg
and his family were going through. When Jamie was well enough for
company, Barb, Kris, Sandy and I went in to see her. Jamie was in
tremendous pain. I can tell you this now, Jamie, but you looked terrible,
and your hair wasn't even done. Sandy and I thought, and still think
to this day, what a brave and loving act, what you did for Greg. We
then saw Bill, poor guy; you were in tremendous pain, and, yes, what
greater gift could a father give his son. For Barb and Kris, they
would have also given their lungs or anything else to help Greg. You
could see their anguish, their concern, and their love during the
whole ordeal.
It seemed like Greg's surgery
was at least 12 to 13 hours long. Greg was in his room when we first
saw him with every machine, every monitor available to him completely
surrounding his bed. It was much later, hours, maybe even the next
day when Greg first opened his eyes. Barb and Sandy were at his bedside.
Sandy asked Greg, "Are you in a lot of pain?" Greg was on a respirator
and unable to speak, shook his head "no". Greg never wanted to burden
anyone else or worry anyone else. But that was Greg's way. Barb told
Sandy many, many times that she never heard Greg complain, not once!
Sandy and I flew back home.
Greg would spend three more months in the hospital recovering. Barb,
Bill, Jamie and Kris would be at Greg's side in St. Louis throughout,
for the next three months. Yes, Greg had tremendous courage; Greg
is the bravest person I know.
If Greg had had the opportunity,
he would have been a good soldier. Greg was a seasoned veteran when
it came to having courage. As a soldier, your courage is tested on
a battlefield. If you face your enemy or the threat of death bravely,
you receive a medal or a commendation, and you are a lifetime hero.
For most heroes, their true courage was tested only once, maybe twice.
Greg would never talk about it, but he knew what courage was about.
Greg's courage was tested time and time again. Each surgery would
be dangerous and life threatening, and every recovery would be difficult.
But Greg loved life, and he took every setback head on. Greg wasn't
given any medals or commendations for his courage, just another chance
at life. Greg was very modest and very brave.
The most important quality
or gift that Greg had was his love for his family and his faith in
God; Greg's faith, his family's faith, his family's love. You can't
talk about one without the other, they are so intertwined.
Throughout the past 20
years, Barb, Bill, Kris and Jamie never left Greg's side; never faltered,
always there, compassionate, loving, willing to step forward for any
task, any wish, any need that Greg had. They were always able to dig
down and find an inner strength to help Greg. Greg knew that he could
put his complete trust in his family. It was like that old test that
was used years ago to teach kids about trust. One person would stand
behind the other. The person in front would keep his body stiff and
would allow himself to fall backwards. The person in front would have
to completely trust the person behind them, to catch them. Yes the
catch was made, and both people learned the meaning of trust. Greg
knew that if he fell, that his family would have their safety net
out to catch him. Greg knew that if he slipped into a coma or went
into surgery, that his family would be there watching his progress,
asking the doctors and nurses the right questions. Greg knew that
while he slept his family would make the right decisions. Greg put
his total trust in his family.
And I know how proud Barb
and Bill are of Kris and Jamie. Kris would fly to Michigan or St.
Louis at a moment's notice from his home in California, to be there
for Greg. Bill told me that when Greg was feeling better that Kris
would fly in so that the three of them, Greg, Jamie and Kris could
just hang out together. They all three were true friends and they
had many good times together. Kris, the good friend, the good brother.
Jamie, the good sister, the good friend. Jamie put her teaching career,
her college on hold while Greg was going through his worst. Jamie
put Greg and her family first. All four of you have done so much for
Greg. None of us will ever know what you have gone through.
As a family, you found
the best hospitals for Greg with the latest technologies. The best
doctors, the best surgeons in the world, the best staff available.
Even then, everything, every decision was still a risk. During this
whole time, the only thing that Greg's family knew that they could
count on for sure, was that God would be there, and that God would
listen to their continuous prayers. When hope would seem so far out
of reach at times, God would answer their prayers and Greg would open
his eyes and get better.
Before Greg's first lung
transplant, Greg's family all held hands and kneeled down and prayed
for Greg in his hospital room. You know that God kept close watch
over Greg after a prayer like that. And with many prayers and miracles
time after time, Greg would fight his way back. Greg's life leaves
no doubt that God will protect us.
This last fight was the
toughest for Greg. A little over a week ago when Greg was having a
really bad night, Bill gave Greg the best advice that a father could
give. Bill told Greg that if he had Jesus in his heart, it's okay
to let go. But once again Greg is victorious over death. Through his
faith in Jesus, and his trust in God, I know that Greg is in heaven.
There is no doubt.
Yesterday Sandy and my
Mother looked for a verse or a hymn that best portrayed Greg's life.
The hymn they found was "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say."
Next, I would like to share
with you the Eulogy that Greg's family has prepared. I am reading
it last; because I want it to be remembered the most.
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