Celebrating the Matriarch

In preparing a patient’s Gift of a Day, we always ask our patients what they would do if they could have one perfect day. For one patient named May, it was easy: she would have just one more family reunion.

96-year-old May is the matriarch of the Wiskur family, keeping everyone close with decades of family reunions and pig roasts.

“We have 100 cousins and I know them all because of those family reunions,” her daughter Janet Akers says. “It was a nice way to grow up.”

Although May typically cooked for days leading up to an event, this time the Crossroads Hospice team and her family handled the cooking.

As soon as word got out that a reunion to celebrate May was in the works, family came from all across the country to be with her. Over 70 family members came for a day of food, fun and family.

May’s grandson, Colby Wiskur, expressed his gratitude for the Gift of a Day. “I would like to say a very special thank you to the Crossroads team of Katie, Cindy, Carol, Anne and Bill for all their care for Grandma,” says Colby. “There is so much comfort knowing they are taking such good care of her.”

Colby’s wife, Crystal Wiskur, is also a Crossroads home health aide. “I want to also say thanks to the entire team for just being awesome. I love doing what I do, but never realized the true impact we make until I was on the receiving side as a family member of a loved one on Crossroads Hospice service,” Crystal says. “Now, I have comfort knowing the GREEN TEAM is there for Grandma and all of us!”

For Mother’s Day, we celebrate May Wiskur, all the mothers at Crossroads and all the mothers who give us a lifetime of love and support.