After Sandeep's passing many people adopted us without missing a beat. Trusted family members along with old and new friends rapidly came to our rescue.
While time stood still for my brother's family, these individuals organized tactical activities to get them through the first minutes, hours and days, through the cremation and religious rites and towards a new routine. Sandeep's friend's brother, an in-law, a high school buddy, and accountant-turned-friend immediately appeared at the doorstep to care for my sister-in-law and family. With extreme kindness, these angels shielded my brother's family from additional storms, moving them from the aftermath with gentle hands.
Numerous friends, well-wishers, relatives and acquaintances streamed into his home to pay their respects in the first few days. Even though these encounters were physically taxing, Sandeep's family was emotionally buoyed by the love, sometimes from people only my brother knew.
As Sandeep started his new journey away from us, we understood in a crystal clear way what it means to be of help to everyone regardless of what is in it for you.
He was kind and patient and generous with his time and knowledge. Oh, he could be ornery as hell too, but he was always helpful. The end result is that people paid back in gold coins of gratitude, telling us story after story of how he had helped them.
Two in particular were godsend and delivered nothing short of spectacular!
Upon realizing that Sandeep had not had time to transition a complex software he had written to run his practice, these friends flew in to figure out the app. In four days and with the tenacity of Sherlock Holmes they dug into the system, data, and processes, declaring at the end that Sandeep was brilliant and that they were mesmerized by his coding skills. There's no doubt that in his final gesture of kindness, Sandeep gave wisdom to these sleuths to get a grip on the app.
"He was an unsung hero" my sister-in-law said poignantly.
The love showered on him in so may different forms is a gift that will keep giving to the family and helps us see that he was not unsung after all.
The Purple Devil working to ease everyone's life as a gifted physician and a genius coder is going to be a TOUGH act to follow. The lesson he left is to help even when help isn't obviously needed, give even when not asked, and share when it isn't the first choice. We are learning and trying to emulate him in this hour of humility.
I know Sandeep is sitting back and grinning about how we are scrambling to be him!
Keep grinning kiddo and rest assured that your groupies - including this Skinny Goat - will relentlessly try to be you....as long as you remain the wind beneath our wings.
