Virgil Cole was a patient in the Our Lady of Peace Hospice Residence. Although he was in hospice care, the last time he talked with us, he said he was not going to die. The reason? He said, “I’m going to see God because I have eternal life. God doesn’t die, so I don’t die.” God called Virgil home on March 10th.
As a graduate of Washburn High School in Minneapolis in the 70’s, Virgil recalled the days of segregation and Dr. Martin Luther King. And as a black man, he remembered discrimination from fellow students. It was a difficult thing for Virgil to endure, but he said he persevered.
“I marched for my rights, without regret,” he said.
With a heart filled with gratitude to his God and his OLP caregivers, Virgil accepted that his heart and lungs were weak. “I’m waiting for my heart to die out, and God to bring me home,” he said at the time of his interview. “It’s a blessing, any way you look at it.”
Care at no cost is a gift to Virgil. “I grew up on welfare as a kid, and it was a pretty tough childhood. My mother suffered from schizophrenia, and she did the best she could, he explained. “God has blessed me by putting the right people in my life. They’re always around me, and I’m thankful. That includes OLP.”
Virgil described the care at OLP as “a blessing that you could never imagine,” and says the name is perfect for what we do. “The people here bless you and guide you into God’s hands, at your own pace. That is key, some people want to go fast, and some want to go slow. I want to go when God’s ready for me to go.” And when God was ready, so was Virgil.
Recognizing the donors who are making it possible for him to go in peace, Virgil said, “OLP takes every penny and puts it to work. And the people who are donating have got to be angels because they’re making it possible for me to let go, and let God do what he does. I know I have an angel who wants to help.”
Virgil had a message for our generous OLP donors, “Keep up the good work. There are a lot more people out here who need your support,” he said with gratitude. “If I were able to donate, I would do it on a mass scale. Donors, you’re giving from the heart. This place is absolutely beautiful. Thank you.”
Rest in God’s peace, Virgil.