Called to Serve: A Healer’s Calling
About the Author: I would like to introduce this unique and special surgeon to you. I met Dr. Connolly when my three-year-old son, Rickey, was referred to him for a painful lump on his thigh that turned out to be rhabdomyosarcoma. Neville had just become a citizen of the US and was just starting his private practice in Washington, D.C. as a general and pediatric surgeon. Neville operated and removed the tumor which gave Rickey relief from his pain. He explained the diagnosis to me and said he would be happy to care for him as I asked him to do. Rickey trusted and adored him. He felt that Neville could fix whatever went wrong, which he did for the year he was sick. Neville tried everything that was available to cure him and Rickey did very well for the first six months. Rickey’s father was a hopeless drunk, years before Rickey got sick, and was never there for him. Neville provided Rickey with the security of a father figure that he lacked from his own father. I had Rickey baptized at home by a Priest from St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Neville became his God Father. Neville had two little girls and Rickey said he was the only little boy Dr. Connolly had. When the cancer metastasized and I could no longer take Rickey to Dr. Connolly’s office, he came from Washington, D.C. to our house in the Virginia suburbs to care for him. Since he had just started his practice, he was not too busy to work it into his schedule. He brought Rickey children’s bible story books about Jesus and the lamb and other stories that Rickey treasured. When Neville went on Vacation with his family he would send Rickey post cards to encourage him. When ever anything bothered Rickey, he would say call Dr. Connolly, he will fix it, and he did. He was available for Rickey any time, any day. When Rickey didn’t feel well, he would pat my arm and say, don’t worry mommy, God is looking out after me. He also told me that if you have faith even as small as a grain of mustard seed, you can do anything. I don’t know how he knew all the things he did at three years old, but he said them with authority. He loved classical music that he was introduced to, by the record of music and the story of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. I asked him how he liked the story. I liked it a lot, he said, but you know I felt sorry for Maleficent, the evil fairy, maybe she wouldn’t have been so bad if they had only invited her to the party. There was something very special about Rickey. I always thought I felt that way because he was my son, but everyone who knew him thought he was very special too. Neville said he tried not to get too close to his patients, because it hurt so bad if they died, but he couldn’t help himself with Rickey. The night Rickey died, Neville came to the house to take care of arrangements. The first thing he did, after he comforted me, was to go into the bedroom and get down on his knees at Rickey’s bed and asked God to forgive him for his inadequacies and prayed for Rickey. I was overwhelmed by emotion in realizing the depth of character of this humble and pious healer. His abilities in healing and caring were extradentary. His faith in God and his response to God’s calling was without bounds. Now I know why Neville and Rickey were so drawn to one another, they are kindred spirits. Rickey’s funeral was held at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. and Neville was one of the pall bearers. Neville and I remained friends and he became my doctor for life. After Rickey died my marriage ended in divorce. My ex-husband remarried and later died of alcoholism. I started a new life and got a job at Georgetown Hospital. and moved to Washington D.C. I became friends with Agnes, Neville’s wife, and we all served together on committees of our Church at St. Alban’s. Many years later, as Agnes started to fail, I was able to help Neville care for her. About thirty-five years after I first met Neville, Agnes died. Neville and I were both getting close to retirement. Neville told me he realized that he was in love with me and asked me to marry him. I realized that like Rickey, Neville and I were kindred spirits and I was in love with him. We have been married for twenty-three wonderful years. Though there have been many changes in the delivery of medicine during his practice, Neville will always believe it to be a “calling”. Read the full article