Tribute to Keith Coros

Today I want to pay tribute to my friend, Keith Coros. Keith was killed last Wednesday as he was crossing a street in South Bend in his wheelchair. I became friends with Keith at Bella Vita Coffee in Granger, Indiana. Keith had cerebral palsy which tended to make conversations very slow and deliberate on both sides, but like the baristas that opened the door and welcomed him with a smile, I too fell into easy and enjoyable conversations with Keith about life, work and eventually his cause.

Keith sought support and understanding for the organization that he founded, Michiana Center for Independent Living. He made it his mission to provide information, accessibility and rights for people who were disabled locally. Unfortunately, finding the help and especially the funding was never easy. In an e-mail on January 5, 2007, Keith told me, “I have met some very nice people as we try to go forward, but I have a feeling that business people don’t take me seriously.”

If you could get beyond the discomfort or embarrassment of not quite understanding him speak at first, and really listened, you’d find that Keith was a very smart and compassionate man who knew what his purpose was. He was determined and independent, and used every tool he knew how to get his message out.

Lord bless you and welcome you home, Keith.

See South Bend Tribune stories July 24 and July 25.

Getting ready to sell

When I turned on my cell phone in Cleveland on the way back from San Diego, I had a text from Melissa: "Oh my gosh! We might already have a buyer!" Within a few hours after Melissa and our real estate agent, Kristi, had arranged a meeting for this Sunday, Kristi called back and said she might already have a buyer for our house. So right now while I’m on the plane writing this, Melissa and her good friend Berette are at home working hard to prepare our basement to show. Apparently the prospective buyer wants a finished basement. We think they'd like ours (photo on right), so we'll see.