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It seems implausible that Mike Pellowski would die of a failed heart.
This friend had the biggest heart of anyone I knew. He would do anything anyone asked of him. He didn’t have to know them well, only to know that there was a need.
He spread himself thin.
If someone could use his help, he was eager to serve. He was forever selling tickets for a fundraising event. Most recently he was spending a lot of time raising money for Winona’s Veterans’ Park.
If you didn’t want to buy a brick for the park, maybe he could interest you in buying a pork chop dinner ticket. He would even offer to deliver the meal himself.
While Mike was Catholic, you might be confused as to which church he called home. He attended them all in Winona. As a member of Saint Mary’s Church, he would volunteer to open up the church early in the morning. While he wasn’t a member of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, he often ushered at many of the Masses.
I was heartened to hear that Rev. Tom Hargesheimer had given him the Sacrament of the Sick before he died. Mike’s connection with St. Stan’s “Father Tom” serves as chaplain for the Knights of Columbus where Mike was the Grand Knight until his first heart attack.
In the spring, Mike had a sore foot and other complications that put him in the critical care unit at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wis. Steve Slaggie and I made weekly visits to see Mike, but after each visit, we were sure it was the last time we’d see him. Three of his heart valves were only operating at 1 percent efficiency and his Berger’s disease had advanced to where he would have to have his foot amputated. Berger’s disease is a kidney disease often known as a “smoker’s disease. The doctors weren’t optimistic he would survive that surgery. Through all this trial, Mike’s aunt Nancy Kukowski kept a near 24-hour vigil for more than a month.
It was easy to see who influenced Mike’s exceptional gift of giving as she cared and prayed for her nephew.
If Mike could improve, the doctors would discuss removing his foot and the valve replacement surgery Mike would need, would come later.
After a successful foot amputation - I heard second hand n Mike was recovering and being transferred to Sauer Memorial Home in Winona. The next night I got a call from Irene Mulyck, the wife of one of the more active Knights of Columbus members, Al. She asked me, “Jim, guess who just called me?”
Not surprised that Mike would want to put himself back in circulation, I replied “Lazarus” And the nickname stuck.
We never expected him to make his 64th Birthday. I couldn’t think of a person who deserved a miracle more than Mike and a few weeks later he was back at breakfast. When I asked him about his three bad heart valves, he discounted the concern and said “it’s under control … I’m doing therapy.”
If Mike had a fault, it was that he didn’t take care of himself. He’d look after someone else before he’d tend to his own needs.
That doesn’t mean he was perfect. I know he had a rough childhood and battled n and was beating n addictions to alcohol and nicotine. He had his weaknesses like we all do, but no one would do more or beam brighter when you passed him a compliment.
I can recall being thanked over and over for buying his tickets to whatever. He treated every act of kindness like a treasure, yet this man was one continual act of kindness.
I know he wasn’t an organizational wizard. He couldn’t say ‘no’ and he’d take on more than he could handle. You have to love a man like that. Many organizations are missing his energy already.
His breakfast friends had many nicknames for Mike. None of them equal the love, time and energy he gave to this community and to us. He left us an example of how to care for each other and how to give of one’s self before thinking of yourself.
His wife, Judy, intimated Mike’s final moments when the family had to make that very difficult decision to take Mike off life support. Judy said, “I told him he will always be in my heart. Then a small smile from the bottom of his lip told me he was happy to hear me. Then he was taken to the Lord.”
Mike ended his life as a faithful servant of the Lord and a devoted friend. He left us too soon, but he left us with a fine example of how we should care for each other.
Galewski is the retired editor and Opinion page editor of the Winona Daily News. His views don’t necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. If you have an idea or tip about a Winona issue, call Jim at 507- 452-3960. His email is Editor@Luminet.net
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tito_tat2 wrote on Nov 24, 2008 9:39 AM:
"...let you be the change you want to see in the world." MAHATMA GANDHI "