×

In memory of Charles R. Pandolph

To the editor:

I am writing this letter to share my story about my dear friend Mel and how “Chuck” Pandolph helped to make a dying woman’s wish come true.

During my time on Earth with Mel, I learned that she was separated from her entire family and put into a foster home at about the age of 6 or 7 in North Carolina. At the time of this story, she was suffering from a few very serious medical conditions and revealed to me her dying wish of being reunited with her two siblings, particularly her sister Annie.

I asked God for help and I found out where she was born in North Carolina and looked up her mother’s last name in the telephone book. I rang 24 different residences with her mother’s last name and finally found a distant relative. I gave this relative Mel’s telephone number and within two days Mel’s sister Annie called my friend and spoke with her for the very first time in 52 years. Never in my 88 years of living have I ever seen such a display of excitement.

“I found my sister! I found my sister!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. I knew very much that Mel wanted to visit her sister in person but her health conditions would prevent her from taking a train or a bus to her sister’s residence in North Carolina. I called my friend Chuck at Life Flight and asked if he could take her in a helicopter and he told me “he would see what he could do.” He called me soon after and told me he found a pilot who was willing to make the trip. The pilot that Chuck found flew her to stay with her sister in North Carolina for one week and flew all the way back to pick her up and bring her home again.

Mel passed away shortly after they reunited, and Annie and their brother both passed away just a short time after that. I’ve never forgotten what Chuck did for Mel and Annie, and I know God sees the kindness in our hearts. Chuck helped a dying woman’s wish come true, and my wish before I die is to open a store in town to provide for those in need and to collect items and ship them to disaster areas. I want to call it “Mission of Love.”

Chuck Pandolph will always be in my heart and prayers everyday. He was very special to me and he will be missed dearly.

Love,

Shirley Hosler

Saranac Lake

Starting at $4.75/week.

Subscribe Today