The Hospice of the East Bay held their 2014 Tree of Lights Ceremony in Brentwood Sunday evening to help memorialize loved ones and bring awareness to services hospice provided.
This years ceremony honored Antioch Councilman Gary Agopian who passed away in July where Robin Agopian shared how the folks at Hospice came in and assisted their family with a medical component that one just does not knwo they are going to deal with.
Both Assemblyman Jim Frazier and Robin Agopian referred to those working with Hospice as angels. Frazier, who just lost his mother-in-law a few weeks ago, highlighted the comfort they provided he and his family.
Here are the comments made by Mayor Bob Taylor, Assemblyman Jim Frazier and Robin Agopian Sunday evening.
Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor
“This tree is for everyone to see because hospice is all year, it doesn’t go away. I have a little sentimental reason for this year because this is the first time I’ve had one of my peer member’s that I am acknowledging,” said Taylor. “For those of you in politics, there is the good, the bad, the ugly, but most of all there is the good. Tonight we are honoring a man who was very good, not just good, but he was the type of man who would I would have thought would be an Abraham Lincoln. When he walked into a room, he was very tall, I am very short. He had huge hands, when he put his hand out to you, you knew immediately you should vote for this man. This was a good man and he was going to be good for the people he represented. He turned out to be wonderful for the people he represented.”
Gary was known for his common influence and was a visionary for what Antioch should be explained Taylor.
“He also had a knack for bringing people together. There was no controversy with Gary Agopian. At times there has been controversy with myself, at times I do not bring a whole lot of people together, but his state and service to the community were intertwined. He believed in god and believed in people. And most of all he believed in his family and self. If I could be the man Gary Agopian was, his presence will be felt forever just not go away. What an honor, what a tribute, and what a man,” said Taylor.
Assemblyman Jim Frazier
“My mother in law passed away two weeks ago. I can tell you with the dignity, the thoughtfulness she was transported from Kaiser to the Bruns House, the way they treated my family, my wife, my father in law, the caring individuals that were there, its still raw, but I can tell you they made her stay and end of her life an amazing experience. The comfort they provided. I can tell you that my father, who works at the thrift store for hospice almost every day, because he believes, as we do, in what is provided. You do not realize it until you actually accept their kindness. It’s an experience that we all dread, but I can tell you once those angels come in, it’s an experience that softens the blow of death. From the bottom of my heart that when I know it’s my time, that I wish my family has the experience that I have had each and every time I’ve had a loved one cared by the hospice angels the way I have,” said Frazier.
He encouraged folks that when they have a chance to support this organization, please do so.
“It’s an important facet that is overlooked in society. Every chance I get, I will be praising their existence but I do want to thank each and everyone of you for coming this evening because as the years go by this grows and the support for hospice is evermore,” said Frazier.
Robin Agopian
“When they called me and asked me about dedicating this ceremony to Gary, I immediately said yes because you do not really know exactly what is entitled with Hospice and what is needed in the process as you are passing in this life to the next. I will say the term angels was so appropriate because it’s like there are angels on earth to help you in the process of the change. There are so many things that a family will go through as you are approaching the end you are very sick and you really need a lot of help. The community was so supportive of us. But the medical component where they come into your home and they help you with so many things that you just don’t know what you’re going to deal with. It was quite interesting just the whole thing. I have to tell you when I would call so desperately at all hours of the night asking questions or just to talk I didn’t know what to do and they would come over then I felt guilty and there would be somebody coming. They said no worries; we are going to be on our way. It was such a beautiful process of support we had on so many levels. So I could not miss this opportunity to say thank you to Hospice and all that is entailed that comes with them… thank you very much for this time, thank you for the kind words that were said. We miss Gary greatly. It’s a big whole in our life. People ask how we are doing and I just say you know what all of you have probably experienced loss of some sort and you know that feeling where you just take it one day at a time. There are a lot of hurting people that have a lot of burdens that they carry. But thank you for this opportunity tonight and what was said about Gary and the things that were shared so thank you very much.”
For more information about Hospice of the East Bay Tree of Lights, visit their website.
