Kimball

Amytrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. If you're a sports fan, you'll know who Lou Gehrig is. Tom Watson's caddie, Bruce Edwards, also had ALS. This is a disease that's supposed to happen to someone you read about in the news. But yesterday I received a phone call that changed all that.
The first time I remember meeting Kimball Matkins was when I was Vice President for Enrollment Management at York College. President Wayne Baker and I drove over to Des Moines, Iowa to meet him. His young wife had just died of cancer leaving him with two children; one had just graduated from York College, the other just entering. We wanted to hire him because he was older than most college admissions recruiters and also because we felt that we could help him in a difficult time for him.
He came and was a wonderful recruiter. He traveled a lot. He talked to a lot of students. Eventually, he met another lady who had three little boys. They decided to marry. Several times he came into my office asking if he could apply for another job on campus because he didn't want to travel as much now that he had another family to look after. I told him I understood, but selfishly I didn't want him to get another job because he was such a good recruiter. He never did get another job. He spent his tenure working for me. (Recently, they made him the director of financial aid.)
We didn't always agree on everything--theologically or from an admissions perspective. But Kimball was always full of grace, never rude or hard to get along with, or dogmatic. He would smile that Kimball smile and everything seemed fine.
I had heard that he had some nerve damage, but it wasn't fully explained. I saw him in Kansas City and he explained that he felt that his legs, his arms, even his chest, were not as strong. My wife saw him walking and it broke her up. He told me about his upcoming visit to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, our conversation was about a lady who works at the Church of Christ house in Rochester who has known me since I was a baby, probably before. He was going to see her on his pending visit.
Yesterday I received a phone call saying that Kimball has been diagnosed with ALS. He has been given two to five years to live. That's not fair. Had he not remarried, I could have understood it. But now there are three boys and a wife who look to him for guidance. I can't get him off my mind right now. So when you pray today, tonight, whenever you prayer, please keep Kimball in your prayers. Pray for God's will to be done. And thank God for the blessings that you receive everyday. Thank you.