Losing a child is just about the worst thing a parent can experience. All of the hopes and dreams you had for your son or daughter are gone in a moment. The emptiness that is left seems so vast it is unfillable. For some, that space is often filled with grief, despair, and hopelessness. For others, the desire to fill that space with the essence of the lost child becomes a mission in life.
Such is the case for two good friends of mine. Bob and Sally Minton lost their son Josh a few years ago. Josh was their pride and joy. A graduate of West Point, Josh reached the rank of Captain in the United States Army before receiving a cancer diagnosis that eventually led to the inevitable. Watching their son succumb to the effects of cancer left many of us at a loss on how to help. 
I met Josh while he was still a teenager and Bob and I were doing Civil War reenacting. Full of life and energy, Josh was the kind of man who had a listening ear, encouraging word, and comforting smile that is a rarity today. As he grew to manhood and chose to serve our country in the Army, Josh took with him his zest for life and applied it to his career. And when the devastating diagnosis came, Josh’s personality did not change. He attacked the cancer with all he had. And what’s more, he took every opportunity to help and encourage others who were fighting the disease.
So, what do you do when the funeral is over and you have to go on with your life? As mentioned earlier, some fall into a deep place from which they never return. Not Bob and Sally. Josh’s life demanded more than grief. It demanded a response from his parents. One that carried on his desire to help others. And so, Bob and Sally established the Josh Minton Foundation. 
A major part of the Foundation’s work is to provide free therapeutic retreats at Josh’s former home in the remote wooded hills of Southern Ohio. Here struggling veterans or cancer patients and their families can get away for a few days for much needed rest and rejuvenation. 
While Bob and Sally will argue their son is the true hero, I think they too deserve to know that their choice to create such a meaningful legacy for Josh took courage, perseverance, and a lot of hard work. Some of that occurred recently at the first annual Josh Minton Foundation Golf Outing to benefit the Foundation’s efforts. History is Personal was one of the many proud sponsors of the events. But more importantly, it was also a great day for Bob and Sally to see how many people remember Josh and support the work of the Foundation.
If you would like more information on the Josh Minton Foundation, visit the website at https://brotherson3.org/. You can support the Foundation with a donation or you can book a weekend at the lodge when it is available.
No responses yet