I can’t stop thinking about a woman named Karen Faltus. If
there’s a lesson to be learned from her life, it’s to be reminded
of how much we need each other.
I can’t stop thinking about a woman named Karen Faltus. If there’s a lesson to be learned from her life, it’s to be reminded of how much we need each other. Faltus chose to work at a demanding and heart-wrenching job at a school for handicapped children. Every day, she helped children who will never walk again, never talk again, children who are disfigured and disabled from birth defects, near-drownings, viruses, and accidents.
Her children grown, the devoted animal lover lived just south of Gilroy in the town of Prunedale with her dogs, horses, and birds.
When she didn’t show up for work one morning recently, it wasn’t that unusual for a teacher’s aide to occasionally miss a day, so no one was unduly alarmed.
She didn’t come in or call the next day either. When her boss, Mr. J, was notified, he stopped by her place on his way in to work from Gilroy.
At first, Mr. J couldn’t get onto the property because of a locked security gate. He found a neighbor who was able to help him open the gate, but when they knocked on the front door, they could get no answer.
Fortunately, Mr. J’s not one to give up easily, and he began a more intensive search of the property.
And that’s when they saw something. As they drew closer, they realized it was Faltus lying on the ground, unconscious.
Doctors did all they could, and churches in both Gilroy and San Juan Bautista began praying for Faltus’ recovery. Mission San Juan Bautista listed her name in their prayer requests for the week.
She seemed to be rallying at first, but Faltus finally gave up her valiant fight and passed away a week after being found. She was 58 years old.
Of course, after something like this happens, everyone is asking, “What if?”
What if I had tried harder to get in touch with her? What if I had raised the alarm sooner? But no one ever suspected anything tragic could be happening. No one knew she had been injured in an accident and was suffering from a massive head injury.
The last time anyone could recall having seen her was the previous Sunday, so it was later realized that she may have been out in the elements without food or water for three days.
Because her boss didn’t give up once he knew something was wrong, and kept searching no matter what the obstacles, Faltus was able to have her friends and family with her when she died.
Even in death, Faltus is helping others, since her family has generously donated her organs and tissues to those who would benefit. Memorials in her name are also benefiting the SPCA and San Juan Gardens.
There are many people mourning Faltus’ passing now. It seems terribly sad that someone could be so alone right here among us.
It just goes to show how even in this modern age when technological conveniences like cell phones give the illusion that we are never alone, we really still need the human touch.
When things like this happen, we are reminded that we can’t take each other for granted.
None of us can be the Lone Ranger (even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Silver!). We need to be on the lookout for each other.
