Hollis Hurst was a friend of mine, we met while doing a project at Metro Airport. Hollis worked for Rauhorn Electric and was part of a crew hired to rewire the airfield for the SMIGS project. There was many a night throughout the winter of 2005 that Hollis, along with his Foreman Rick Raffaelli, Dave and Tony all worked in the most miserable cold weather you could imagine. It was my job to come in a monitor their work from 10:00pm til 2:00am then head back home so I could be back to work by 7:00am. Yeah that worked out well!
During that project, and two others, I got the chance to know all of Rick's crew and considered them all friends. Just a decent bunch of guys, Electricians that took pride in their work and they had hearts as big as all outdoors. Some times it would get to be monotonous doing the same thing day after day, so to break things up a bit I would try to pull off a practical joke or two and I knew I could always enlist Hollis' help. I have to be honest though Hollis was a better giver than receiver but in the end he almost always laughed it off. And he, Rick and Dave weren't beyond payback. There were many a time when I could see it coming like a freight train and a few times I didn't.
Over the years Hollis and I talked on several occasions about motorcycles. Most recently about 4 weeks ago he had asked me if I was ready to ride this spring. I told he I wish I could but that I sold the Harley last year because I had only been putting on 300 to 500 miles a year now and it was a waste to have it just sitting there. He said he was having the same problem just not enough time to ride with work and everything else. I told him I was planning on picking up a cheap bike this year and he said we'd have to get out and ride together. It looks like that's going to be postponed:
Hollis W Hurst was 47 years old and on Saturday March 14th, as he was riding his Harley home from his Grandmothers 90th birthday a young girl pulled out in front of him in Frenchtown, Michigan. Hollis was thrown from his bike and pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
The world lost a really good guy that day. And a young girl has a nightmare that she is going to have to live with for the rest of her life so in a way two lives were ruined that day. I said a prayer for Hollis and his family after I called Rick and confirmed what I had read. Then I said a prayer for that little girl and hoped that she realized it was an accident.
I hope you all pray today as well, for your family, your friends, and use this to remember just how fragile life is. Since we're all here today wouldn't it be a good idea to tell everyone around you that you love them and how much they mean to you? Don't be shy because you never know when that opportunity will slip away.
And Hollis, I pretty sure that right now you're in the Lord's house, getting ready to ride and looking for a nice curvy road. You check it out for me and we'll go for a ride whenever I get there! Rest in peace, buddy!
PS: Rick Raffaelli sent me the above picture of Hollis taken a week or so ago. 3/19
I'm so sorry for the loss...I remember you talking about him and Rick when you were working nights all the time....taking the time to tell you just how much you mean to me (us) and that I (we) love you!
ReplyDeleteMiss Pickle told Large Toes that she misses having you around - no one sticks their fingers in her ears like you do (and thats a direct quote!!)