To the Editor:

My mom, Bette Cowley, passed away on May 6. For the two days prior to her passing, we had the assistance of the Altamont Rescue Squad. The morning of the fifth, on Cinco de Mayo, they picked her up and brought her to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctors saw her x-rays showed extensive fluid in her lungs, so we were told that her passing was going to be very soon. She made her wishes very clear to the doctors — that she wanted to go home to pass away in the home that she built with her husband, Edward Cowley, 58 years ago and he passed away there as well, four years ago.

The doctors and nurses were willing to do whatever needed to be done to make my mother’s wishes come true. They personally called the Altamont Rescue Squad and asked them to please help us in returning Bette to her home so that she could pass at home with my husband, Dave Jalbert, and myself, Dory Jalbert, caring for her.

They then arranged to have a special oxygen system provided in the ambulance so that she could make the trip home. We were so lucky to have had the doctors and all the rescue people that were involved.

We just ran into one angel after another. Dr. Duncan and Dr. Daily in the emergency room took care of us with such tender loving care and consideration for my mother and her wishes.

We were only in the hospital for six hours or so. It was the toughest six hours, learning everything that we were learning about my mother’s condition, but all the people that we came in contact with actually made it a wonderful experience.

I am forever grateful for all of the love and kindness everyone demonstrated. The ambulance driver, Warren, and emergency medical technicians (including Dan who made both runs with Bette) were volunteers on a Saturday morning, out of the kindness of their hearts, and volunteered their time to bring my mother back home.

We did get her to her home on Township Road. Once home, we put on the Irish music, I picked lots of daffodils so that her flowers were everywhere around her and she passed away peacefully.

I wrote the names of many of the people who helped us and I can't find my paper that I wrote everything on while in the ambulance.

One of the EMTs said, “Your mom must be one important person, as I’ve worked here for four-and-a-half years and never saw someone escorted back home so that they could pass away peacefully.”

I wish I could personally thank every single angel who helped my mother’s passing to be a beautiful experience. I never thought that would happen and so I thank you all great people of Altamont fire and rescue; Guilderland fire, rescue, and police; and Albany Medical Center emergency room staff.  

Thank you.

Dory Jalbert

Coventry, Rhode Island