I am quite sad about it, but at the same time, he was 85 and in failing health. It is hard to believe since he has fought the odds so many times. Still had his spirit and humor though. He is survived by 12 children (15 total) and many, many grandkids. He was a very generous and caring man. He was my last living grandparent, and Elias' last living great grandparent. I am really going to miss his sense of humor.
He was one of the very first organ (skin) transplant receiptants when he was a WWII aviator. He was burnt badly in a plane crash flying fuel to China during the war, and he was in the hospital for over 5 years and many surgeries. He was burned badly over 70 percent of his body in the 40s, and he was never supposed to live. He was the only survivor in the crash. He only lived back then because of dead skin used to save his life. He only had one eye, 7 burned own "stumps" (as he called his used to be fingers), no ears, no hair anywhere--not even eyelashes, no real lips, a weird M. Jackson like nose.
http://organtx.org/tx/kptx123101.htm
It is a cool interview. They wrote about him in a book "Surgery for the Soul" and "The Sun Also Rises" (That title might be wrong. It is similar to the Hemingway book).
Anyway, just my little rememberance of him--he is one of my heroes, such a survivor. He was adopted in the early 1900s by a single man, and he was dirt poor. He went on to do great things, father many kids and own many FOX stations when FOX was just a baby broadcasting network. He ran for Senator and President a few times--even going on David Letterman to promote his campaign (its funny, he is even listed on the list of his guests! http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet...vid_Letterman/.
This is even funnier (have to see the light in the dark)
"BY THE NUMBERS - Charles Woods, former owner of television and radio stations, running for Congress - his eighth race for House, Senate, president, governor or lieutenant governor since 1970. He's lost them all." (http://www.record-eagle.com/2000/nov/08states.htm)
EIGHT TIMES! WOW! All losing. He never campaigned all that much, just liked the idea of running. Even this year he still had a black Lincoln Town Car b/c that is what President's drove! He was a character.
Please pray for my family and my mother. I am going down South Wednesday for the funeral and everything.
He was one of the very first organ (skin) transplant receiptants when he was a WWII aviator. He was burnt badly in a plane crash flying fuel to China during the war, and he was in the hospital for over 5 years and many surgeries. He was burned badly over 70 percent of his body in the 40s, and he was never supposed to live. He was the only survivor in the crash. He only lived back then because of dead skin used to save his life. He only had one eye, 7 burned own "stumps" (as he called his used to be fingers), no ears, no hair anywhere--not even eyelashes, no real lips, a weird M. Jackson like nose.
http://organtx.org/tx/kptx123101.htm
It is a cool interview. They wrote about him in a book "Surgery for the Soul" and "The Sun Also Rises" (That title might be wrong. It is similar to the Hemingway book).
Anyway, just my little rememberance of him--he is one of my heroes, such a survivor. He was adopted in the early 1900s by a single man, and he was dirt poor. He went on to do great things, father many kids and own many FOX stations when FOX was just a baby broadcasting network. He ran for Senator and President a few times--even going on David Letterman to promote his campaign (its funny, he is even listed on the list of his guests! http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet...vid_Letterman/.
This is even funnier (have to see the light in the dark)
"BY THE NUMBERS - Charles Woods, former owner of television and radio stations, running for Congress - his eighth race for House, Senate, president, governor or lieutenant governor since 1970. He's lost them all." (http://www.record-eagle.com/2000/nov/08states.htm)
EIGHT TIMES! WOW! All losing. He never campaigned all that much, just liked the idea of running. Even this year he still had a black Lincoln Town Car b/c that is what President's drove! He was a character.
Please pray for my family and my mother. I am going down South Wednesday for the funeral and everything.
