After Phil Frisch’s mother died, he wanted to hold her memory close with an indelible mark signifying his love for her and the unforgettable loving care she received at Our Lady of Peace (OLP). He says, “Everyone treated my mom as if she was their child,” and I’ll never forget it.”
The tattoo on Phil’s leg caught the attention of guests and OLP staff at our Butterfly Release and Memorial Celebration on August 8th. Yellow flowers, a monarch butterfly, his mother’s signature from the last birthday card she gave him, the OLP logo, and the words “Heaven’s Front Porch” appear within the piece of art. “A nurse told me the hospice has been called that,” Phil explains. “And it sure felt like it.”
Originally from St. Paul, 93-year-old Mary Nord entered the OLP Hospice Residence after the chronic pain of neuropathy, sepsis, and breathing problems took their toll on her body. Phil says it was the perfect place for her, himself, and his daughter. “We would go out in the garden and talk and watch the ribbons in the trees blow in the breeze. It was soothing, as we had a good cry.”
When back inside, Bailey, a beloved OLP therapy dog, stepped in with perfect timing. “Bailey visited us in the lounge,” Phil recalls. “He couldn’t have shown up at a better time. Mom was in the dying process, and my daughter and I needed the distraction.”
Mary died in her hometown of St. Paul on July 22, 2023. Phil says OLP provided support to him during the dying and the healing process, and he will never forget the loving care staff members gave his mom and his family. “Everyone there was incredible. The nuns came into our beautiful suite and smiled at us. I had to pinch myself to realize it was real. Even the woman with the snack cart was there for us. She got us giggling, and it was great.”
Phil looks at his tattoo and thinks of his mom. “I think of the incredibly peaceful look she had on her face when I last saw her. She had been in pain for so long, and now she was at peace.”