The following is a repeat of a message I wrote five years ago about some observations I made on and around the day (November 5, 2021) that my buddy and business partner, Tom, passed away…it’s hard to believe it’s been five years.
I call them Next-Level Blessings.
Next-Level Blessing #1: Preparing My Heart
Monday morning, I ran my favorite stretch of the Canal 66 bike path in Piqua, listening to Ryan Hawk’s Learning Leader Show.
Ryan opened with a heartfelt tribute to his high school football coach and lifelong mentor, Bob Gregg, who had recently passed.
As I listened, my heart filled with gratitude for Tom and the tremendous influence he’d had on my life.
Little did I know, God was preparing my heart for what came next.
Next-Level Blessing #2: The Call
Two miles into my run, my phone rang.
It was Tom.
He told me he was entering hospice care. He was tired of fighting and ready to reunite in heaven with his beloved Susie, who had passed seventeen years earlier.
What followed was a beautiful conversation.
We expressed our love for each other, and Tom thanked me for our partnership in building little HealthCare Pharmacy into a nationally recognized company.
What a gift to have that conversation!
Next-Level Blessing #3: The Question
Before hanging up, I asked something I’d wanted to ask for years.
“Tom, are you good with Jesus?”
Without hesitation, he replied, “Yes, I’m as good as I can be.”
That was good enough for me. And I believe it was good enough for Jesus.
What happened next only strengthened that belief.
Next-Level Blessings #4, #5, and #6: An Angel, a Hymn, and Amazing Grace
After hanging up, I leaned against a tree and sobbed.
Forty years of memories and emotions came flooding over me.
Suddenly, a gentle voice asked, “Are you OK?”
I looked up to see a woman standing nearby. After I explained what had happened, she asked, “Can I pray for you?”
She placed her hand on my shoulder and began praying.
Then, almost unbelievably, How Great Thou Art began filling the crisp autumn air.
The Alexander family cemetery, adjacent to the bike path, has a bell tower that plays hymns every hour.
Tom had been close friends with Cliff Alexander, the family patriarch, who had mentored him early in his business career.
As I resumed my run, Amazing Grace began playing.
How sweet the sound.
An unexpected prayer. A hymn proclaiming God’s greatness. Another celebrating His amazing grace. All beside the family burial plot of one of Tom’s biggest fans and mentors.
Connect those dots, and you’ll understand why that moment will remain sacred to me forever.
Next-Level Blessing #7: Our Pharmacy Family
After gathering myself, I began calling members of our HealthCare Pharmacy family to share Tom’s news.
The outpouring of love, memories, and sorrow reminded me how many lives he’d touched.
Their love comforted me immensely.
Next-Level Blessing #8: The Tom Hagan Room
Tuesday, I visited Tom at Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County, a facility he’d helped make possible.
Hospice had been one of Tom’s passions. After retiring, he served on its board and helped bring a freestanding hospice facility to Miami County.
As I entered his room, I noticed a placard:
The Tom Hagan Room.
Yes, Tommy was spending his final days in a room he’d endowed.
If you knew Tom, you’d know he probably planned it that way. 😉
We shared memories, laughter, love, and even a few highlights and lowlights from our forty-year relationship.
Before leaving, I told him, “Tommy, we were the odd couple in so many ways, but somehow we made it work.”
He nodded and replied, “Yes, we did.”
Love is powerful.
Next-Level Blessing #9: Attending His Own Funeral
From Tuesday through Thursday, more than one hundred people visited Tom.
Imagine being alive to experience your own funeral!
Tom had the extraordinary blessing of hearing firsthand how much he meant to others.
What a beautiful gift God allowed him to experience.
Next-Level Blessing #10: His Family
Throughout those final days, I spent precious time with Tom’s family.
We laughed. We cried. We remembered.
Even in grief, God was strengthening the bonds of love.
Next-Level Blessing #11: My Family
My greatest earthly support came from my family, especially Lori.
She took on all the responsibilities of caring for Jordy and kept encouraging me to spend time with Tom.
Jason and Michelle checked on “Uncle Tom” throughout the week. They loved him deeply and understood how closely our lives were intertwined.
Their concern for Tom, and for my hurting heart, meant the world to me.
Next-Level Blessing #12: The Eagle
A couple of hours after Tom passed, Lori texted me.
An eagle was flying over our prairie at Serenity Acres.
A first!
For years, I’d prayed God would send an eagle to live on our property.
I hurried outside, and there it was, flying low and heading directly toward me.
As it approached, it majestically dipped its wing before landing in the tallest tree on our country block.
Then it sat boldly, staring at me as I stared back.
Here’s what makes this extraordinary.
That tree stands on Tom’s former property, adjacent to ours.
I couldn’t help but believe God was using that eagle to remind me that all was well.
How Great Thou Art.
Amazing Grace.
One final Next-Level Blessing.
I stood there sobbing, my heart overflowing with gratitude.
Our God is so great!
The Blessing Within the Challenge
Tom’s passing reminded me of a truth I’ve experienced repeatedly throughout my life:
Holding tightly to our faith during life’s greatest challenges opens our eyes to blessings we might otherwise miss.
I call them Next-Level Blessings.
They don’t eliminate grief, erase hardship, or answer every question.
But they remind us that God is present, even in our deepest pain.
Sometimes God’s greatest blessings aren’t found in the absence of sorrow, but in the unmistakable presence of His grace within it.
Psalm 34:18-19, “Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.” (The Message)
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
