Bucket List

by Jennifer Abney

Published: Sun, June 15, 2008 - 7:14 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, September 03, 2008 - 2:58 pm CST

You've probably heard the phrase, "Life Impersonating Art". For one local man that saying has taken on a very personal meaning.

Ed and Joanne Givhan have spent years looking forward to their relaxing retirement years, until a harmless bump on the head revealed something more sinister for Ed.

"I didn't think anything about it, I had never felt so good," said Ed,"I walked 4 miles a day." But after getting an MRI he found out he would have to deal with one dreaded disease.

"This doctor was all disturbed, he said where have you had cancer?", said Ed, "I said I have never had cancer!" The doctor then informed him he had a brain tumor.

Ed was 66 years old when he got that news. He was given about 3 months to live. That was 3 years ago.

"Strange as it may seem, some of the best parts of my life have been since I got cancer," he said, "you may say this guy is insane!"

Those who know Ed well would use other words to describe him.

"He and Joanne have a zest for life that is contagious," said Tom Noland, Eastern Shore Baptist Church Music Minister.

"Before he came to us I heard we were on his bucket list," said Tom, "I didn't know what a bucket list was."

And, neither did Ed until earlier this year when he just happened to see the movie by the same name.

In the movie Morgan Freemen's terminally ill character explains it as, you should "make a list of all the things you want to do before you kick the bucket!"

"It was just an opportunity to do something I never thought I could do again," said Ed, "I used to sing in a choir, a long time ago. I said I can do that again. They let me in and haven't thrown me out."

And so began Ed's bucket list.

"They did all these neat things, one was to jump out of a plane, " said Ed, "I said I gotta do that."

Ed says prior to having cancer he would have never dared skydiving, but now his only concern is enjoying it too much!

"It was so mesmerizing, if it had been up to me, I would have forgotten to pull the parachute," he said.

Ed says he was a dedicated business and family man in his early years, but was always concerned about making more money. He says he has now learned to slow down so that he can do more.

"I'm like the least worried person you'll meet this week," he said, "That's not my nature, but it's become my nature."

Ed smoked for over 30 years. As a result, he has fought cancer in his shoulder, chest, lungs and lower spine over the last few years. He has also had two brain tumors removed. In spite of all of this, he says his mission now is to enjoy life and spread a little hope.

"I said the Lord's got to have some reason for letting me hang around for a long time," he said, "I've had an opportunity to tell people there's hope, just cause you've got cancer its not the end of the line."

Ed isn't done with his bucket list just yet, he still plans to take to the sky again. He wants to parasail. And, he dreams of taking a ride with the Blue Angels too. Ed says he doesn't know when his cancer will return, but he plans to enjoy every minute he has left.

WKRG.com » News Stream » Local

Video
Photo

Embed:

WKRG.com Related

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

Download Video

mremann83 Says:

Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 10:13 am

I do have something on my mind. I enjoyed the story so thoroughly that I was ticked off that the writers ruined it with terrible writing. The Bucket List is a top 5 movie of all time in my opinion. Just because of my personality and interest in things not made of Concrete, rubber, metal, and plastic.

I will email u back shortly.

carl Says:

Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 8:45 am

HEY MREMANN83! Haven’t talked to you in awhile. YEAAA, A mame is a terrible thing to waste! The story is a little loosely jointed but understandable. I believe what they were saying was he was so fascinated during the jump, if by himself he would have forgotten to pull the rip cord. The other cancers appeared after the original diagnosis, three years ago. Look at that picture of him, we could be twins except he’s got more hair left on his noggin and I don’t have the dough to go jump out of a plane but I enjoy life just the same. Mremann83 you’re a pretty sharp dude but you missed this story. It’s like you’ve got something heavy on your mind, anything I can help you with let me know.

mremann83 Says:

Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 8:06 am

The writers of this site do a terrible job. This entire article reeks. The story is good, but its jumpy and hard to follow. One sentence makes you believe Ed has yet to jump from a plane, and another makes you think he has. Then it talks about him not wanting to die, then says if it was up to him, he would NOT have pulled the schute. Then it says he has never had cancer, then says hes had cancer in 6 different places. Makes absolutely no sense. Tis a terrible thing to mame a good story.