Mr. Rogers

I just watched a great video of Mr. Rogers on my friend, Tracy Massey's Facebook page.  It reminded me of a story.  :-)

When Travis was young, he LOVED Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and watched it every day.

My mother was still living then and she dearly loved Travis - even though she struggled to pronounce his name properly.  She so wanted to connect with him that she started watching Mr. Rogers every day too, so that she could talk with Travis about things on the show when he came to visit.

In time, she developed heart problems and had to have open-heart surgery for a valve replacement.  In 1980, this was a critical, new procedure that required a long, step-down process of recovery in the hospital.

One day while she was in a regular, two-patient room, my Dad was there to spend the day with her.  As they sat talking, she could see into the hall and noticed Mr. Rogers walking by her room.

For those who don't know, Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister who often visited in the Pittsburgh hospitals.

Mom quickly told my dad to run him down and ask him if he would visit her! My dad obediently ran down the hall in pursuit of this famous man.  He readily returned to mom's room and spent twenty minutes with her - even praying with her!

Before he left, she told him, "Mr. Rogers, I watch your show every day! Would you give me an autograph for my grandson, Travis?"  He signed her lunch menu before he left.  I wonder what ever happened to that?

HE BECAME HER NEIGHBOR!

Thousands and thousands of children grew up with Mr. Rogers.  His consistent and calm spirit was reassuring to them.  He was predictable and simple.  He nurtured trust in them.  He explained things.  He created a safe place.

Mister Rogers

Our son, Travis, was one of those children.  He loved Mr. Rogers and would sit enraptured by his show on a daily basis.

My Mom was still living at the time.  She dearly loved Travis and wanted to be able to connect with him in any way that she could.  When she found out that Mr. Rogers was his favorite show, she started watching it every day.  She knew this would equip her with things to talk with Travis about.

Then, she started having heart problems.  In 1980, she went into Allegheny General Hospital to have a very serious (at that time) open-heart surgery.  She had a bad heart valve replaced with a pig's heart valve.  It was a critical time for our family!

The surgery went well, and Mom was eventually stepped down from critical care to intensive care, and then to a regular hospital room.

Now it's important for you to know that Fred Rogers was an ordained clergyman in the Presbyterian Church.  He often frequented Pittsburgh hospitals to minister to children and others.

One day, my Dad was in the hospital room with my Mom.  Suddenly, she told him that Mr. Rogers had just walked past her room.  She sent my Dad to see if he would step in so she could meet him.

He did!  He visited Mom for about fifteen minutes.  She told him all about Travis and his love for the television show.  He listened compassionately.  He prayed with her and then signed her hospital menu before leaving.  She was ecstatic!

Such is a man who found his purpose and lived it out to the glory of God!