How quilting calmed a miner
EDITOR:
My dad, Floyd Scarbrough, was born in 1946.
Coming from generations of coal miners, it was only natural for dad to work in the mines. He began this journey after serving his time in the U.S. Army. He raised three kids on a miner’s salary. Unfortunately his time underground caused him to develop black lung, a disease that affects many men who earned a living mining coal.
When the pandemic started, my brothers and I did what we could to protect dad.
He avoided crowds and stayed home as much as possible. July 2022 he went to church, where he was exposed to COVID. Immediately the symptoms began. He made five trips to the hospital, staying two-to-three weeks at a time. The last hospital stay resulted in being discharged with hospice care.
He hasn’t let his diagnosis get him down. At 76, he is learning to quilt.
The first quilt, [which] he calls “Lilly,” was made for my daughter. He is working on a second quilt now.
Quilting encourages him to use his fine motor skills and keeps him calm.
He feels like he has a purpose again. I have attached pics of this wonderful man and his quilt. Hope you enjoyed his story.
Margarett
McCormick
Anderson County
