The spirit of Grandpa Trevor

[Damian]

I was reminded of another experience this morning in the shower (I do my best thinking there  )...

I was remembering something that happened when my Grandpa Trevor passed away.  My family, aunts and uncles and cousins and parents, were all standing along the wall in the hallway that led to the area where my grandfather's hospital room was, but immediately in front of us was a pair of free-swinging double doors that were weighted in such a way so the doors would swing freely but eventually settle in the closed position.

We were informed by the medical staff that my grandfather was very close to death and probably wouldn't make it through the hour.

We're a very large family...my grandparents having 6 children, most of them with spouses and children.  With all of us lining the hospital hallway, the tension and fear and sadness were tangible.  We were mostly quiet aside from some muffled sobs.  This scene lasted for about 15 minutes or so.

But then, a breeze blew open the hallway doors that seperated my family from my grandfather.  The doors didn't open violently or anything like that, it just felt like there was a small burst of wind that opened the doors and blew through us.  At that very instant, there was an amazing calm that washed over my family.  The sobs stopped.  The sadness vanished.  And a few of us, myself included, were smiling at each other.  No one really said anything, but somehow I knew that my grandfather had passed on.  And as I looked at my family, I could see that some others felt the same thing.

No more than a handful minutes went by and the doctor came out and informed us that my Grandpa Trevor had died, and the family was invited to join my Grandma Annette in the hospital room with my grandfather's body to grieve together.  And as we walked into the room, that same pervasive calm and contentment followed us.

My Grandpa Trevor was a very jovial man who valued nothing more than his family and his faith.  He was always the life of the party, joking around, bragging about his kids and grandkids, and even singing songs to entertain all of us.  The wind or energy that I felt wash over me and my family felt very much like the feeling I got when I was with my grandfather.  It felt like after he died, he found his family and put many of us at ease, which was something that my grandfather commonly adopted as his responsibility.

It was such a unique experience, and the instantaneous dramatic shift in emotion was something I'd never seen or felt before, especially during such a painful experience.  I feel like my grandfather touched us one last time before moving on.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this with the death of a loved one?

[Gary]

I haven't experienced anything like this Damian, but the description you gave of your Grandpa Trevor is the exact description of my grandfather to a 'T'.  He passed away almost 10 years ago.  My family, not nearly as large, running 9 strong, we were all in the hospital hallway when he passed.  We had no experiences like you.  Thinking back now on all the memories, I really miss him, and I know my family does as well.  BUT we ALL know that he has happily moved on to a better place, and let me tell you how he deserves it.  He was the glue that held  my family together, and kept everyone sane and pleasant.   

Anyways, I really liked your story, and it's awesome that you and your whole family were able to be together to experience it.  Here's to Grandpas everywhere!!!!! 

[Damian]

Cheers to that!

[ljiljanac]

The only thing that I had experienced that comes close is when my "adopted" mom, Kathy, passed away.  She had advanced stage lung cancer and was doped on on morphine.  We knew it was a matter of time.  I came over to monitor vitals, so the rest of the family didn't have to.  We were all watching t.v., and about every hour or so, I would go in and check her vitals and sit with her.  A few minutes after I left the room, I suddenly felt that it was time to put the stethoscope away, and that she was not in the house anymore.  I went back in the room and found her pulseless.  She had passed away.  

[Damian]

Was it a feeling that hit you and you just knew?  Do you remember what it felt like?

[ljiljanac]

I remember it like it was yesterday.....I was in a routine with everything timed....take vitals, talk to her for a few minutes, then go out and watch tv, then come back in when the program is done, take vitals, sit with her or talk to her for a few minutes, and do it again.  This went on for the entire day.  I literally kept the stethoscope with me the whole time to stay on my timeline.  I felt like she was my patient, and I was responsible for her care.  A few minutes after I sat back down on the couch to watch t.v., I felt like my rountine was done, and I didn't have to go in the room anymore.  I felt like it was okay to put the stethoscope away and not pick it up again.  It felt like I didn't have anyone to take care of anymore.  There was also a very palpable stillness in the air.  That feeling hit me in a split second and drew my attention away from the t.v.  I looked around at everyone, jumped up, and ran to the room.  Sure enough, she was gone.           

[Damian]

Wow Lillie.  I'm amazed at how in-tune with that unseen energy we can be if we're only open to it.

[ljiljanac]

I'm pretty open to it, but I don't expect it.  This kind of stuff has happened with a variety of different things.  I don't chalk it up to any kind of psychic ability.  I think it happens to everyone with any given thing.  But we call it our "gut instinct".