Treasuring friendship
I read with great sadness of the death of Mark Ciborowski. I had known him only by reputation, even though I’ve lived in the Concord area since 1980; and that includes several years working downtown. Then we got to meet.
We were roommates at Dartmouth Hitchcock Cancer Center for a brief time a year and a half ago. We had little occasion to chat, as it was hindered by the screen between our beds. He was discharged ahead of me, and we spoke at greater length as he was preparing to go home. We exchanged contact information and made the pro-forma pledge to stay in touch … which we both failed to do.
As he was leaving, he handed me a pewter token with the image of a healing angel. Even as an unbeliever, I thanked him for the kindness. Before the first article appeared in the Monitor, I learned by word of mouth that Mark’s cancer had returned with a vengeance and had taken his life. I immediately found the pewter angel which suddenly acquired deep significance.
I will treasure that little piece of metal until my cancer does me in, and I will treasure the memory of such a superb human being as Mark Ciborowski.