A Death in the Desert - 03/15/19

March 15, 2019 – Friday
A Death In The Desert
Imperial Dam LTVA
Yuma, Arizona

For many of us in our senior years, the aging process imparts a sense of purpose, with the knowledge that we have a finite number of years remaining on this blue sphere of a planet we call Earth. Our Earth is just a tiny dot in a Solar System that resides within the Milky Way Galaxy. Our Solar System consists of a gravitationally bound planetary system of the Sun (star) and the objects that orbit it, directly or indirectly. The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System. It is a spiral galaxy that contains more than 200 billion stars and is 100,000 light years across. The Milky Way Galaxy is contained within the Universe. The Universe consists of all existing matter and space considered as a whole. The Universe is believed to be at least 10 billion light years in diameter and the observable Universe contains about 100 billion large galaxies. At the present time Earth is the only astronomical object known to harbor life. In this context, who among us can dispute the miracle of life, as we know it, and not vow to live each day in service to one another.

In our retirement years, some of us seek new adventures as we travel throughout the United States in our recreational vehicles. One such individual was a gentlemen from the state of South Dakota who would spend the winter at the Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area each year. He lived alone, in his 5th wheel trailer. During our previous two visits to this area, we had occupied the same campsite. He had occupied another campsite about 100 yards northwest of our campsite. We would pass one another in our vehicles on occasion and we would wave to one another.

At around 10:00 am on Friday, March 15, 2019, I noticed a campground host escorting an Imperial County sheriff to this gentlement's campsite. Within a short period of time an Imperial County fire truck arrived with two firefighters and another Imperial County sheriff arrived shortly thereafter. It soon became apparent the gentleman had passed. The firefighters and sheriffs were standing outside of the trailer just talking to one another. Around 11:00 am the two sheriffs departed. The firefighters remained on the scene, inside of their vehicle. At 12:45 pm the coroner arrived in a small, unmarked, white van. The firefighters and the coroner removed the gentleman from his trailer and placed him in the white van. I said a prayer for the gentleman as the van passed by our campsite. May he rest in peace. Another miracle of life has departed the Earth and begun a new adventure exploring the Universe.

Update:
During the late morning on Saturday, March 16, 2019, family members (sister, niece and nephew) arrived from the southern California area to retrieve his trailer and other personal belongings. Several of us campers offered our condolences and offers of assistance to the family. His first name was Bruce. He was 75 years old. His wife had passed away six years ago. He and his wife both enjoyed their winter visits to the southern Arizona desert. Bruce had developed friendships with several other campers, one of whom had literally saved his life when he experienced a medical emergency during a previous winter sojourn. Unfortunately, this time Bruce was alone in his trailer when a medical event took place that claimed his body. His spirit surely survives as a wonderfully memory to those who knew him.