So this week I have been very scattered and absent and I apologize to any of the authors and promotion companies that I may have let down this week with not getting things out on time but it is unfortunately for a good reason. This is my facebook post from yesterday as it was a very hard day.

It is with extreme sadness that the kids and I must pass along the news of the peaceful passing of my step-dad, Jim Rogers this afternoon listening to his favorite blues music. We were lucky to have spent Sunday with him to say our good-byes, but we are all still trying to cope with what will be a huge loss in our lives.

I first met Jim when I was in grade 11 at Rutland Senior and he was my journalism teacher, but most students will remember him for English. He was an easy-going teacher but when you got him angry the class definitely knew. A few years later he met my mom at a teacher’s conference and the two hit it off and began an amazing life together filled with lots of different adventures. They went to Australia together and camped all over Western Canada and the US. They had such a great relationship and it was filled with so much love.

Jim was a huge supporter of both kids and their love of sports and he loved watching them play as much as he could. He especially loved Mikaela taking on boys much bigger than her in hockey and never backing down. He was always so positive with the kids and even if they were down he would bring them back up with his encouragement. He loved them both so much and with Mik being the only girl grandchild they had an extra special relationship. That being said he also had a very special relationship with Brendan and the two loved each other so much and he loved his “Bruiser”.

Several years ago Jim was diagnosed with Multiple Systems Atrophy and his life took a very difficult turn. He was no longer able to do everything that he used to be able to do and as the years went on the disease became stronger in his body and he began to lose the ability to do things that most of us take for granted. In the past couple of weeks Jim ended up in the hospital and knew that he was dying but wanted to control his own destiny. With help from MAID today Jim was able to end his suffering and get the peace he needed.

Our hearts are breaking but we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering.

We love you Jim/Papa and you will always be in our hearts.