Niehart
Pie Smuggler
Bill Rice [74 hard years old] was know as Uncle Bill to all of the local folks and kin. Kind of a rough and tough no filter fellow with a huge caring heart.
Uncle Bill was my brother-in-law and one of my best friends. We rode a lot of miles together even though our riding styles were completely opposite. Bill was a Harley Davidson man though and through. Not the see me and all my chrome one but the one that loves his bike, treats it better than some of his wife's and rode it from bar to bar. But, in Uncle Bills case, there was often 400 miles between the bars.
The last time he and I rode together [and also his last ride due to health problems] was for his bachelor party in 2013.
Since and even then, he was fight with many health problems. Cancer of the kidneys, problem with his body building good blood and terrible pain in his legs when he walked. We tried quite a few times to ride but the damn legs just would not let him.
Fast forward to early Sunday morning, his wife, Jill, heard the dog barking and went see what was wrong. Jill found Bill on the floor. She tried to get him up but could not so she called an ambulance. They rushed Bill to the closest hospital and started running test to find out what was wrong. Things for Bill were going down hill fast and they moved him in to the ICU unit. By 7PM Tuesday night the doctors had to put a tube down his throat to help him breath. By then Jill was running out of energy so she and I discussed how much life support Bill wanted and I sent her home. It was a crazy night. I talked a lot with Bill thinking that he could hear me and know that someone was there with him. Also play some songs that he liked. 5AM in the morning Bill flat lined. I yell for the nurse and called his wife. The nurse put out the code blue call. Almost instantly the room was a beehive of people trying to bring Bill back. After about 35 minutes they got a week pulse and tried to stabilize him. Bill live long enough to hear his wife tell him how much she loved him and passed on.
I know he's in a better place without pain but damn it sucks. Left a big hole in my heart that is going to take a long time to fill.
So here's a toast of Crown Royal to a the most interesting man and my friend, Bill Rice.
Uncle Bill was my brother-in-law and one of my best friends. We rode a lot of miles together even though our riding styles were completely opposite. Bill was a Harley Davidson man though and through. Not the see me and all my chrome one but the one that loves his bike, treats it better than some of his wife's and rode it from bar to bar. But, in Uncle Bills case, there was often 400 miles between the bars.
The last time he and I rode together [and also his last ride due to health problems] was for his bachelor party in 2013.
Since and even then, he was fight with many health problems. Cancer of the kidneys, problem with his body building good blood and terrible pain in his legs when he walked. We tried quite a few times to ride but the damn legs just would not let him.
Fast forward to early Sunday morning, his wife, Jill, heard the dog barking and went see what was wrong. Jill found Bill on the floor. She tried to get him up but could not so she called an ambulance. They rushed Bill to the closest hospital and started running test to find out what was wrong. Things for Bill were going down hill fast and they moved him in to the ICU unit. By 7PM Tuesday night the doctors had to put a tube down his throat to help him breath. By then Jill was running out of energy so she and I discussed how much life support Bill wanted and I sent her home. It was a crazy night. I talked a lot with Bill thinking that he could hear me and know that someone was there with him. Also play some songs that he liked. 5AM in the morning Bill flat lined. I yell for the nurse and called his wife. The nurse put out the code blue call. Almost instantly the room was a beehive of people trying to bring Bill back. After about 35 minutes they got a week pulse and tried to stabilize him. Bill live long enough to hear his wife tell him how much she loved him and passed on.
I know he's in a better place without pain but damn it sucks. Left a big hole in my heart that is going to take a long time to fill.
So here's a toast of Crown Royal to a the most interesting man and my friend, Bill Rice.
