Inconsolable

My uncle, Philip Osborne Roesch, was born to William Phillip Roesch and Nellie Edith Osborne on September 17, 1917 in Eau Gallie, Florida. He grew into a young adult and was good friends with Buzz, the son of Dr. W. J. Creel.   

Their personalities were very similar and they enjoyed doing many of the same things, especially when it came to tinkering.  Boys will be boys and they loved dismantling just about anything and everything and then figuring out how to put it back together again.  It was especially invigorating when they got it right and it worked.  Phil was especially intrigued with radios. 

So it wasn't entirely surprising when the day came that they started a radio and appliance repair business.  Most jobs were to fix small appliances such as radios and toasters.  Larger appliances always called for a trip to the customers home.

One day such a request was received and they went out on a service call to  repair a refrigerator.  The methyl chloride somehow escaped and sprayed into the eyes of Buzz.  Horrified, Phil rushed his best friend to his father's medical office.  Every conceivable treatment was exhausted, but this unfortunate accident left Buzz blind.  Read:  Thankful Thursday - One of God's Chosen People

Phil struggled to come to terms with what happened to his best friend, but he was inconsolable.  He grieved over this incident the rest of his life.

Update: 

Buzz Creel Story

Kathryn, as Dr. Creels grandson this photo was to say the least a pleasant surprise. The story of Buzz while quite sad is also quite heroic. When he was 19 he was working on a refrigerator and came in contact with the coolant and was blinded. During the depression he reckoned the only place a blind man might find work was New York City. He moved there and became a dark room technician developing film. Long story shortened he married and spent his life there with my aunt Rose and they actually did very well. The real tragedy is he was mugged near his home and never really recovered and died shortly thereafter. I have never hesitated to brag on his courage and character and wish I could have been half the man he was.

Mark Allen