Almost exactly 1 year ago (Oct. 2005), we lost
Wayne, a valuable employee for about 7 years. He would surf the
web, tirelessly, using his right eyebrow to do so (click here to read *his* story). This page is
about his widow, Emily, and her cookbook. One small,
tangible way that we can share our sympathies and respect
with Wayne's wife, is to purchase her cookbook. Emily isn't
looking for a handout. In an entrepreneurial spirit, she has
compiled some of her best recipes, and we can support her while
rejuvenating our own dinner tables.
Emily
& Wayne
(Click Pic for larger image)
Life Without Wayne From
The Heart Of Emily Willeby
The loss of Wayne has been the greatest loss I will probably ever
have. When Wayne and I married in February of 1970 it was a love
that only grew by leaps and bounds daily. When Wayne was
diagnosed with
ALS in 1987 I felt as though my world was crushed, but as time passed
and I saw that the man I loved so dearly was dealing with the deck
of cards that he had been dealt, we began to build our life around the
disease and went on with our lives. Every time I would get down,
I
would
look into those big beautiful eyes and see that smiling face, I would
go on, and that is how I have gone on without him.
I think of the life that Wayne would want me to have and I
have gone on. The first step of my new life was the cookbook that I
wrote. I
raised money through selling ads to businesses, friends and family;
fortunately that completely paid the publishing costs. Now
I need to sell the cookbooks to be able to survive, and to maybe, one
day, begin
to do things to my house that he always wanted to have done for me, and
to take a trip somewhere, even for a couple of days. But right
now I need sales of the cookbook to help me survive.
Thank you for
reading this and considering purchase of my cookbook. It is only
$10 (plus $3 for postage) and I know you will
enjoy it! Sincerely,
Emily Willeby
111 Susan Drive
Warner Robins, GA 31093
478-923-4532 (I'd love to speak with you personally, if you find
the time.)
<ZRubberductie@aol.com>
Please make checks for $13 payable to me.
Click
on cookbook for larger image)
Sample page - click on it for larger image
RJ here again. Here is a story from one of Wayne & Emily's
friends. It's worth a few moments to read it.
Wayne`s
World Through The Eyes Of A Friend
Just imagine for a
moment being trapped in a body, your body, which will no longer respond
to even the simplest commands. Your arms, legs, refuse to
function. Your mind is as sharp as a tack, you are incredibly
aware of what is going on around you but you are completely unable to
move. This was Wayne`s World. I can only
tell this story as an observer, someone who spent time with a
remarkable person who just happened to be in this position. I was
able to witness something truly amazing, how a family stepped up to
deal with what I consider to be one of the most difficult
situations. They all had to face the grim reality of watching
their loved one being robbed of almost every aspect of his being. Wayne was thirty
nine years old when he was diagnosed with ALS more commonly referred to
as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This news came as a shock to him and his
family and in the prime of his life. Little by little he became
less able to do the things he had always been able to do. He was
no longer able to walk, so he coached recreational football from a
wheelchair. As time passed he eventually became confined to a hospital
bed at home. When his respiratory system failed him he was given
a tracheostomy
and put on a ventilator.
It was at this time in
his life I met him. I can
remember the first time I walked into his home. Everything seemed
as normal as any other house, a living room, kitchen, dining room area,
but then I entered the heart of the house: Wayne's room. The
walls
were covered with NASCAR hats and photos of his favorite drivers.
There was a daybed close to his bed, a large recliner and a pretty
good-sized television. There was also a massive row of windows
with
birdfeeders outside of them to let in as much sunlight and nature
as possible. Then there was Wayne with his computer on a rolling
table in front of him. He was staring intensely at a
screen. I
wondered at that time what he could possibly be doing other than
watching a blank screen with a computer. Emily, Wayne`s
wife, introduced us and I immediately was touched. Wayne grinned
at me with eyes that twinkled. I do not know exactly what I was
expecting but what I saw made me feel warm all over and gave me a sense
of peace, a sense of peace that I would experience every time I was
with him. I would sit with
Wayne at least once a week for the next two and a half years. Our
weekly visits always started with that grin, a grin that was almost as
wide as his face. We would see Emily off to run errands with
Wayne getting a kiss from her and telling her jokingly that he and I
were going out to party. We would all laugh and even though all
he could manage was that broad grin and some trembling, he was
laughing. I knew without ever having the chance to actually hear
his laugh that it was what I call a "big belly laugh," one that would
consume the room and cause everyone else to laugh as well. I would sit
in the oversized recliner next to him and he would watch his favorite
shows, which also came to be mine. We would talk about football
games, the race and movies. I would tell him what I had recently
seen and which ones I thought were a must for him to see.
Sometimes we would just sit in silence except for the constant hum and
thud of the respirator that breathed life into the lungs that could no
longer perform their duties. I am sure you
are wondering how Wayne and I communicated if he was unable to
speak. Wayne had come up with his own language using what few
muscles he could still move in his face, right wink of his eye was
yes, left wink was no and we used the alphabet to get words
started. Wayne could also use his computer to type out sentences
which he controlled with a small mouse attached to his eyebrow.
This was designed by RJ Cooper. It was designed to allow people
in similar situations to have access to computer use. Wayne`s computer
gave him the opportunity to reach out and help others with
handicaps. He would do research and connect people with resources
to assist them with their own special needs. His computer became
his link to the outside world. He sent and received dozens of
emails a
day and gave encouragement to others that suffered the same affliction
as he. The computer was also entertainment for him, a place to play
games and it did not matter that he could not move his arms. Wayne's house was
not like any other house. It was filled with love even in its
darkest
hour. He had a wife that never faltered or tired, that kept a
positive attitude and carried on like everyone
lived with someone
bedridden. Emily filled her days caring for her husband of thirty
five years and raising money for a cure to this crippling disease. Wayne may have been
dependent on others for his physical needs but everyone that came in
contact with him fed off his strength for their emotional well
being. He made the impossible seem possible and he never let this
cruel hand he had been dealt dampen his spirits. Wayne Willeby
touched many lives, whether it was via the internet or in his own
room. My life is richer and more precious to me because of him
and his family. I consider myself blessed to have had the good
fortune of being a part of their lives. Wayne may be gone, but he
will never be forgotten for his sheer will to live will be forever
etched in my memory and give me the strength to persevere.
