A Brawl to Remember

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A Brawl to Remember
by Robert Yoho, Columnist and Senior Editor

November 19, 2003

"Eye on Conservatism"

Columnist Robert Yoho West Virginia University’s victory over Pittsburgh was unusually special for me last night. I took my thirteen-year old daughter, who wore her "Daddy’s Girl" necklace, to the game. Despite my feelings of guilt and some huge misgivings, my daughter and I headed off for Morgantown, West Virginia.

For any life-long Mountaineer fan, the "Backyard Brawl" is always a special game. I doubt there is a single WVU fan who doesn’t hold a favorite memory from this tough and sometimes bitter collegiate rivalry. But what made this game so special to me was the fact that we almost didn’t go.

To put it bluntly, my mother has been slowly dying for the last six weeks and my dad has been quietly going through hell! Besides having a heart ailment, Mom also has a set of failing kidneys that require regular dialysis treatments. On top of all that, she is a diabetic. These problems have made her much, much older than her sixty-five years. Her heart condition requires some major surgery but the doctors do not think she would live through the operation.

Mom spent almost two weeks in Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia. That hospital is an excellent heart facility, but they could not do anything for her. From there, she was flown by airplane to the Cleveland Clinic, which may be the finest hospital in the country. Mom spent several weeks there too. Despite a staff of superior doctors and nurses, they still could not perform the operations she so desperately needed.

My son and I had already given away a pair of tickets to the WVU vs. Virginia Tech game earlier this season because the night they played we thought Mom wouldn’t live through the day in Cleveland. We watched the game in the Clinic’s lobby.

To make a long story short, the specialists at Cleveland Clinic finally sent Mom back home to die. She is now in a nursing facility close to my hometown. On November 14th, I was called away from work to visit my mother on her deathbed. Mom’s minor blood loss —another condition that cannot be corrected due to her failing health—had become life threatening.

When I arrived at her room, my father—at Mom’s request—had been keeping her awake until my younger brother and I arrived. I wouldn’t have placed a nickel wager on the prospects of her being alive for another hour. But I was wrong! I guess I had forgotten that nobody should ever underestimate the indomitable spirit and strength of that strong, kind, and gentle woman.

To the amazement of the nurses, she rallied later in the day. As we talked about my plans to take Katie to Morgantown on Saturday, she said, "That is nice!" Then Mom reminded me of some stories I had heard as a child. Her mother and father were divorced when she was my daughter’s age. "How I wished to spend some time with my daddy when I was younger," she recalled, "but mom wouldn’t let me."

It was then that I determined to take Katie to the game. The following day, Mom’s condition had still not changed. But Dad also encouraged me to go. With a heavy heart I headed to Morgantown with one of my favorite people in this world. Along the way, I explained to my daughter that a win over Pitt would automatically place that game among the greatest victories in West Virginia history.

This Sunday morning following the game, I visited my mother at the nursing home. I softly kissed her on the cheek and told her that I loved her. Perhaps I will never know if she heard me. As I wrote this piece wrote today, the phone rang. The news had been expected for weeks: Mom was gone.

A dying woman—whose inner child still yearned to spend time with her deceased father—loved the idea of her son’s daughter spending a day together with her daddy. One of Mom’s last unselfish acts guaranteed a memorable day for another little girl. And I pray that whenever my daughter remembers WVU’s great victory over Pitt, she will never forget the debt of gratitude she owes to her grandmother.

I want to thank Coach Rodriguez, the coaching staff, the players, and our loyal fans for brightening an otherwise cloudy day for a father and daughter. In my mind, this Mountaineer victory and the memories that go with it were especially for you, Katie!

And for you too, Mom!!! ***

EDITOR'S NOTE: The management and staff of The American Partisan convey their condolences to Bob Yoho and his family at their time of loss and extend our sympathies to their family.

Photo of Robert Yoho courtesy of staff files