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My Father the Unsung Hero
I would like to tell you the story of my father. I apologize as this has nothing to do with apnea.
My father’s name is Ellis Andrew Hinkle. Ely to his friends. Pops to his boys. He was born in Indianapolis on July 15th 1954 in the very same hospital that I now work for. My father married my mom in 1972 shortly after becoming pregnant with me. Despite having a full gymnastic scholarship, my father joined the army. He was immediately shipped to Vietnam. I do not know exactly what he did while he was there. I do know that sometime in 1973 while trying to escort some children across the border my father was involved in a very bad accident. Most of his bones were broken, and he almost bled out. He received several blood transfusions to keep him alive. After the accident he was sent to Germany where he served out his time on the Army’s ski team. He was discharged in 1979.
After the army the burden of young love proved to be too much for my parents. They were divorced soon after his discharge. My father immediately joined the Iron workers union to help support me. This proved to be a great decision for him as he went on to become union president, and head of the Indiana Emergency Task Force. You might know this organization as FEMA. The latter of these 2 while very exciting for him scared the shit out of the rest of us. He always seemed to be driving into things like the Okalahoma City bombing when most people were running from it.
On September 11th I was working as an Ironworker with my father. I will never forget it. We were 200 feet in the air when the news came. We had to immediately evacuate the job sight as the Indiana University Medical School where we were working is on the terrorist watch list. I will never forget the look on my father’s face as we watched the news feed. He however did not miss a step as he grabbed his tools and mine. He looked at me and said “take care of things while I am gone son.” My father spent the next 6 weeks at ground zero. I do not know if you remember the fire truck they dug out with the firemen still alive. That was my father. I do not think I missed a news feed of the event the entire time he was gone. I just wanted to see him.
My father returned from New York broken. They paid him very well for his time there. Unfortunately most of it went to therapy. Cleaning up body parts for six weeks will do that. He could not sleep. You see when he closed his eyes he replayed out the entire scene of the tragedy. My father resigned from FEMA shortly there after. To this day sometimes we will still find him crying over the entire ordeal.
Six weeks later we found out that my father had contracted Hepatitis C from the blood transfusions he had received due to his accident in the army. His liver went from stage 1 to stage 4 overnight. They gave him less then 5 years to live. So much tragedy in such a short time. Our family was all but broken at this point.
For those of you that have already done the math you know that this story has a happy ending. We did not give up on him as he would not give up on us. My father worked for 3 more years to reach retirement. We found doctors that were willing to help. The first treatment nearly killed a great man. It was all we could do to talk him into doing it a second time after the first treatment failed. The second treatment however was a success. My father has been in full remission for over 14 months. His liver has even begun to heal itself a little. They have told him that with the right diet regiment he could very well live out a normal semi-healthy life.
As we draw closer to the anniversary of 9/11 I ask that you remember and pray for men like my father. Men that sacrifice themselves by not turning away from danger, but running towards it to help. I believe that men like my father give us hope. I hope that one day I am able to become the great man that I see in him. Most fathers just put a roof over their children’s heads, provide clothing, and food. My father built a city around me. Then protected my right to live free in that city. My father is a living lesson in humanity. A true hero.
Thank You,
Rock Hinkle
My father’s name is Ellis Andrew Hinkle. Ely to his friends. Pops to his boys. He was born in Indianapolis on July 15th 1954 in the very same hospital that I now work for. My father married my mom in 1972 shortly after becoming pregnant with me. Despite having a full gymnastic scholarship, my father joined the army. He was immediately shipped to Vietnam. I do not know exactly what he did while he was there. I do know that sometime in 1973 while trying to escort some children across the border my father was involved in a very bad accident. Most of his bones were broken, and he almost bled out. He received several blood transfusions to keep him alive. After the accident he was sent to Germany where he served out his time on the Army’s ski team. He was discharged in 1979.
After the army the burden of young love proved to be too much for my parents. They were divorced soon after his discharge. My father immediately joined the Iron workers union to help support me. This proved to be a great decision for him as he went on to become union president, and head of the Indiana Emergency Task Force. You might know this organization as FEMA. The latter of these 2 while very exciting for him scared the shit out of the rest of us. He always seemed to be driving into things like the Okalahoma City bombing when most people were running from it.
On September 11th I was working as an Ironworker with my father. I will never forget it. We were 200 feet in the air when the news came. We had to immediately evacuate the job sight as the Indiana University Medical School where we were working is on the terrorist watch list. I will never forget the look on my father’s face as we watched the news feed. He however did not miss a step as he grabbed his tools and mine. He looked at me and said “take care of things while I am gone son.” My father spent the next 6 weeks at ground zero. I do not know if you remember the fire truck they dug out with the firemen still alive. That was my father. I do not think I missed a news feed of the event the entire time he was gone. I just wanted to see him.
My father returned from New York broken. They paid him very well for his time there. Unfortunately most of it went to therapy. Cleaning up body parts for six weeks will do that. He could not sleep. You see when he closed his eyes he replayed out the entire scene of the tragedy. My father resigned from FEMA shortly there after. To this day sometimes we will still find him crying over the entire ordeal.
Six weeks later we found out that my father had contracted Hepatitis C from the blood transfusions he had received due to his accident in the army. His liver went from stage 1 to stage 4 overnight. They gave him less then 5 years to live. So much tragedy in such a short time. Our family was all but broken at this point.
For those of you that have already done the math you know that this story has a happy ending. We did not give up on him as he would not give up on us. My father worked for 3 more years to reach retirement. We found doctors that were willing to help. The first treatment nearly killed a great man. It was all we could do to talk him into doing it a second time after the first treatment failed. The second treatment however was a success. My father has been in full remission for over 14 months. His liver has even begun to heal itself a little. They have told him that with the right diet regiment he could very well live out a normal semi-healthy life.
As we draw closer to the anniversary of 9/11 I ask that you remember and pray for men like my father. Men that sacrifice themselves by not turning away from danger, but running towards it to help. I believe that men like my father give us hope. I hope that one day I am able to become the great man that I see in him. Most fathers just put a roof over their children’s heads, provide clothing, and food. My father built a city around me. Then protected my right to live free in that city. My father is a living lesson in humanity. A true hero.
Thank You,
Rock Hinkle
Views: 49
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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This story gave me chills. I thank your father, and others like him.
By the way, you're an extremely gifted writer. Through your writing, you have made your admiration of your father real and memorable to complete strangers. Powerful stuff.
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Permalink Reply by BeeAsleep on
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As always Rock, thank you for sharing your life on this forum. You don't have to, but I am SO glad you do. And Mike is right, you have a wonderful gift of writing, because you speak from your heart and that comes across in your writing. You are right, you father IS a hero. And I am sure the fact that you know that and have chosen to share it with us would make him very proud.
I can't imagine what it must have been like for him to be involved at ground zero on Sept 11th. He must be a very extraordinary human being to give his life for others the way he has.
Please, the next time you see him, give him a special hug of thanks from me and my children and my grandchildren. bee
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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on
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Rock, your story about your dad is just a gift from God, as is he. And as are you.....
So many agonizing stories have come out of 9/11--yours is a picture painted that clearly demonstrates the agony, the courage, the selflessness, the respect and love of mankind that your dad has lived, and continues to live today, beyond all odds. His star will shine forever now, because of the magnificent role model he is for anyone who chooses to stop, see, and understand the nature of a true American hero. Your dad would, no doubt, respond with "I'm not a hero--I just did what had to be done", or something to that effect. Real-life heroes are like that!
Our true heroes' service usually comes into the light only through the eyes of their loved ones. Thank God for him that he has you. And thank God for you, that you have him. You honor him with your tribute. And you honor him as well, with YOUR unceasing effort to help others cope with life circumstances that are beyond their control and understanding.
It's clear to most anyone who's had the privilege of receiving this gift you've given us today, that angels are alive and well and walking among us. Many of them, like your dad, at great personal cost. For me, as I sit here crying, unable to separate grief from pride, you and your dad, and the many others iike you who have life-changing stories to tell, and give everything to be of service to others with no thought of self, leave all of us something to cherish and to aim for in our own lives. God bless him for his sacrifice and commitment, and God bless you as well for using this forum to demonstrate your respect for your father. It's a wake-up call for each and every one of us. Life matters. People matter. And your dad matters, Rock. I, for one, will never forget him from today forward and will pray for you and your family always.
Please tell your warrior of a father thank you, from all of us. Have his story published, in your own words, every place you can. It's powerful, humbling, and worth repeating so as many people as possible can begin to come to understand the true meaning of the term "hero worship".
Peace be with you both......
Susan McCord
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Rock Hinkle, thank God for your father. In addition to all else, he has given us YOU! One can only imagine what he saw and experienced in Nam and Oklahoma City, but to have those memories of Sep 11 as well ..... God has blessed us w/some great men - your father is one of them. Thank you, Ellis Andrew Hinkle.
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Permalink Reply by Susan M. Nelling on
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Wow , what an amazing life your father has lived, thanks for sharing his story, it really touched me.You must be so proud to be his son.with kind regards, Susan
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Permalink Reply by Marie Davis on
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Thank you for the moving post. So much of the news today seems to be about "bad" people, it is these unsung heros for us little people that make such a difference. You were so blessed to have had this special man as your father. So many others that also served their calling were never covered for their illnesses by health insurance....we need to have help for all those volunteers, so brave like your dad...
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Rock, from what I've been reading here about your post, it doesn't seem to me you need to do any apologizing to US about sharing your dad's story. It would appear that a lot of apnea patients think it's totally relevant....so be proud, my friend, of your dad and of yourself for making people remember what really IS good in this troubled world. YOU are a warrior, and now we know where you get it.....
Susan McCord :-)
Marie Davis said:Thank you for the moving post. So much of the news today seems to be about "bad" people, it is these unsung heros for us little people that make such a difference. You were so blessed to have had this special man as your father. So many others that also served their calling were never covered for their illnesses by health insurance....we need to have help for all those volunteers, so brave like your dad...
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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My father was very moved by this post. He gave me a cd with pictures from ground zero. if any of you would like to see them let me know. Thank you for your responses.
susan mccord said:Rock, from what I've been reading here about your post, it doesn't seem to me you need to do any apologizing to US about sharing your dad's story. It would appear that a lot of apnea patients think it's totally relevant....so be proud, my friend, of your dad and of yourself for making people remember what really IS good in this troubled world. YOU are a warrior, and now we know where you get it.....
Susan McCord :-)
Marie Davis said:Thank you for the moving post. So much of the news today seems to be about "bad" people, it is these unsung heros for us little people that make such a difference. You were so blessed to have had this special man as your father. So many others that also served their calling were never covered for their illnesses by health insurance....we need to have help for all those volunteers, so brave like your dad...
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Rock, speaking only for myself, I'd like to see them......will your dad be identified on them?
Susan McCord
Rock Hinkle said:My father was very moved by this post. He gave me a cd with pictures from ground zero. if any of you would like to see them let me know. Thank you for your responses.
susan mccord said:Rock, from what I've been reading here about your post, it doesn't seem to me you need to do any apologizing to US about sharing your dad's story. It would appear that a lot of apnea patients think it's totally relevant....so be proud, my friend, of your dad and of yourself for making people remember what really IS good in this troubled world. YOU are a warrior, and now we know where you get it.....
Susan McCord :-)
Marie Davis said:Thank you for the moving post. So much of the news today seems to be about "bad" people, it is these unsung heros for us little people that make such a difference. You were so blessed to have had this special man as your father. So many others that also served their calling were never covered for their illnesses by health insurance....we need to have help for all those volunteers, so brave like your dad...
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Yoo know I've seen so many illustrations of proposed memorials for Ground Zero and the image that I have always had was of those 3 steel girders standing stark amidst all the ruins.
Somehow it brought back memories of the pictures of the flag raising on Iwo Jima.
And a news photograph I kept and have stored somewhere of a soldier, possibly a medic, in Nam, staqnding w/head bowed in exhaustion and quite likely sorrow, w/helmet hanging from his hand, a body on the ground and some mist obscurring some of the jungle and bomb crater damage.
And I think how quickly our heroes are forgotten. The police and fire being the first budgets cut when the budget gets tight. Our troops being sent into harm's way w/outdated equipment ......
Thank God for men like your father!!! It sure isn't the dolts in Washington that make this country great!
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And THAT is the absolute truth, Judy............
Judy said:Yoo know I've seen so many illustrations of proposed memorials for Ground Zero and the image that I have always had was of those 3 steel girders standing stark amidst all the ruins.
Somehow it brought back memories of the pictures of the flag raising on Iwo Jima.
And a news photograph I kept and have stored somewhere of a soldier, possibly a medic, in Nam, staqnding w/head bowed in exhaustion and quite likely sorrow, w/helmet hanging from his hand, a body on the ground and some mist obscurring some of the jungle and bomb crater damage.
And I think how quickly our heroes are forgotten. The police and fire being the first budgets cut when the budget gets tight. Our troops being sent into harm's way w/outdated equipment ......
Thank God for men like your father!!! It sure isn't the dolts in Washington that make this country great!
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