(Fluffy-Sad) On the Death of Faron Young
Bret Ludwig
Robert S. Griffin
www.robertsgriffin.com
Faron Young was a country music star from the late 1950s to the
1980s, a honky-tonk singer and entertainer in the mold of Hank
Williams. By the mid-1990s, alcoholism had taken its toll, his
marriage had ended, he was estranged from his children, his career
was over, and he lived alone, 64 years old. These are excerpts from
the last pages of his biography by Diane Dickman, Live Fast, Love
Hard: The Faron Young Story (University of Illinois Press, 2007).
"Bob Lowe, take the money [on the nightstand] and diamond ring is
for you--thanks to you and Shirley for loveing [sic] me all these
years. The time is 11:40. Dec - 9 -1996."
Faron had fired two rounds with a 38-caliber pistol. One bullet went
into the headboard, and the other went through his head and
landed by the window.
Robyn [a son] rushed to the hospital. Faron lay in an emergency
room bed, a turban of bandages wrapped around his head and to
the tip of his nose. A respirator assisted his breathing. An intern
showed Robyn the x-rays and pointed out the entrance and exit
wounds.
A nurse told Faron to take a deep breath and he obeyed.
Michael Frazier [a friend] informed the hospital of Faron's living
will
and that he did not want to be kept alive by artificial means.
Faron was moved to intensive care, where a neurosurgeon cleaned
his wounds and removed the respirator, yet he continued to
breathe. Although totally paralyzed on the left side of his body, he
could move his right side.
The neurosurgeon explained to Robyn that he could close off blood
vessels, try to repair damaged tissue, and install plates to seal the
wound. Because of the massive damage, he estimated a 10 to 15%
chance of survival, and that would include paralysis and blindness.
He explained that the natural course of death from a gunshot
wound--easy breathing, a temperature increase that indicates the
kidneys shutting down, the skin turning yellow, the fever breaking,
and then, several hours later, labored breathing. The neurosurgeon
told Robyn that he believed that hearing would be the last sense lost
before death.
"Dad," Robyn said, "I don't know whether you like me being here or
not. I know you and me haven't spoke to each other in a long time,
and I just want you to know I've never stopped loving you." Faron
squeezed his hand.
Hilda [his former wife] picked up the phone to call their other
children. She hadn't seen Faron since the divorce.
The natural progression of death occurred exactly as the
neurosurgeon had described. Hilda and their four children were
with him. Robyn stood with his hand on Faron's chest, feeling it rise
and fall. Faron took a breath, let it out, and his chest did not rise
again. The only sound in the room came from crying.
Four years later, in 2000, Faron Young was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jenn
<ba216dce-029e-4160...@v46g2000hsv.googlegroups.com>,
Bret Ludwig <bret...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On the Death of Faron Young
> Robert S. Griffin
> www.robertsgriffin.com
The first piece of music I ever performed in public was Hello Walls.