I have the coolest neighbor. Her name is Mrs. Hayes. Recently, her husband, Mr. Hayes got pancreatic cancer and passed away. Mrs. Hayes was my forth grade teacher. She taught for only one year at my elementary school, but I was lucky enough to have her. Mrs. Hayes loved me, I was always on task and working. We had to do the Utah program that year it was a play type thing. She always made it fun. She is my favorite teacher as of now. I have known Mrs. Hayes very well I have taken care of her cats (Roxie, Murphy and Finnegan) while her and Mr. Hayes travelled around the world.

You see in movies that the main character has the coolest neighbors. Mrs. Hayes puts all of them to shame. She always brought me back at least three things from where ever she went. One was something iconic of where she went, the other being some kind of food from there, and the last was something of my choice. I remember that she went to Florida and brought me back some alligator jerky. It was so cool I had never had anything like it. It was actually really good almost as good as beef jerky.

It was Friday February 4, 2011. I got home from my friend Logan’s birthday party at about 11 o’clock pm and in Mr. & Mrs. Hayes driveway was the hospice. Hospice is an agency that helps people in their final weeks try to enjoy them and help them do the things we think are normal. I knew that this was not a good sign. Then the next morning it was Feb. 5, 2011 I had just woken up and I grabbed my ipod touch and got on Facebook and the most recent post was Mrs. Hayes and she said “I want to thank all of you for your love and support Mike (Mr. Hayes) has moved on to a better place. Where he is free of pain and with luck there is a hockey rink. I will let you know when the date and time for the memorial service is ASAP.”

I walked out of my room and told my parents and they said they had seen some people carry out his body and load in into a van. I did not know Mr. Hayes all that well. I have carried out a full conversation with him only once. I have always said hi though if I see him. He was a very kind man, always seeing what he could do for others. I thank him for what he has done for me.

Now, my family fears that Mrs. Hayes will have to move now that he is gone. I hope that she will stay she has been such an example of strength and pushing through things that are hard. I have not seen her since, but I have talked to her on Facebook quite often.

I thank Mrs. Hayes for what she has done and my prayers and thoughts go out to you.