6/24/2024

For those that know Francis, he was about ready to retire. Retirement to Doc meant fishing LOTS, Columbia, Willapa, Chehalis, Westport, Neah Bay, Alaska and LOTS of clam digging.

Well all that is going to be "put on hold" for many months. He called me, 8/23/2024, said he had some fresh caught ling cod he wanted to share with me. He told me to come over anytime I wanted, that he'd be working around his garage area....this phone call was around 4 p m, I decided to go over just after 5 p m....this time bit is important because of what happen to "Doc".

When I got there Doc wasn't to be seen, got out of my car and heard "Bill, Bill, you need to help me........most don't know this but I can't walk without the use of a walker, or use 2 wading poles because of a balance problem. I went around the edge of his garage, Doc was lying on the ground by his brothers boat and trailer. He said he broke his leg in 2 places, and that it just happen in the last 5 minutes.

He had gotten up in his brothers boat, had to move a canvas, took a step, got stung by a hornet, and could hear others. He jump out of the boat, landed on a raised edging of the concrete parking area AND THEN ROLLED ABOUT 20 FEET DOWN A HILL, he knew he had broken his leg but he didn't know how bad he was, pulled himself up the hill, over the curbing and then just laid there.....phone was a long ways away......I drive in, see and hear Doc lying on ground, he needs his phone.....got it, he called a neighbor who is always home, not yesterday, called another person, guy came right over, cut a piece of cardboard, put around his leg and then ductaped it in place. The guy pulled him close to the car door, then started closing garage doors, etc. Doc pulled himself into the car.....

Bottom line, he had called Community Hospital, told them to get ready for him, he texted me this morning...he's at Harborview in Seattle.....his comment "BAD break" and he was just going into surgery.

Just glad I arrived when I did!!!!!! That's all I know

I'm sure he might do a followup.....but it might be awhile..