Our oldest son, Lennart, (age 43) passed away at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning January 30. It was a terrible shock for everybody as it was totally unexpected. He had been having the occasional headaches and not felt quite 100% recently, and without describing all the details, I can mention I took him to Lions Gate Hospital here in North Vancouver Thursday morning. They examined him and found that he had suffered a few minor strokes or possibly a small tumor, so he was admitted to the hospital over night for further observation and tests the next day. On Friday morning he had another stroke and then lost his speech and was paralyzed on his right side. They were still hopeful that the speech would return in a day or two as well as he would no longer be paralyzed.

Of course we were praying for miracles, but got another shock Saturday when he had another massive stroke and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit. There he was hooked up to life support equipment, which as you know involves a plentitude of tubes, needles and patches connected to monitors. - On the weekend the idea of an operation was mentioned, which would entail removing the damaged tissue to relieve the pressure on the brain. However, if he were to survive the operation, which was highly doubtful, he would not have any memory, not be able to receive information (understand) and still be paralyzed on the right side.

And for those of you who know Len, you understand that such a life would not be an option, to be a virtual vegetable with a life not worth living. Here was someone who lived a very active life as a Lecturer in the Commerce Department at University of British Columbia, where for inst. last year he was voted by the students in his department to be "The most popular Teacher 2000-2001". He was also a very popular organist and active member of Highlands United Church in North Vancouver. He had started there about 25 years ago, but was a "permanent fixture" since his return from Indiana University in 1991. It was there he obtained his Ph.D., after previously having graduated with a BA and on MBA from UBC in 1980 and 1982.

He was active in a number of fields and was about to be appointed to the Library Board at a District of North Vancouver Council meeting Monday Jan. 28. - Maybe he was trying to do too much, and he had felt tired more often recently. It now appears that a dissecting flap in the ascending aorta would send tiny particles from time to time to his brain and he would in fact have had a series of very minor strokes over perhaps many years, without realizing what it was. When bigger pieces were torn off, disaster happened. The doctors and nurses in the hospital were most informative and helpful and we are certainly not blaming the medical system for not having discovered this sooner. Maybe a full body scan could have shown something, however, the corrective operation is difficult and could have resulted in serious brain damage anyway.

Lennart had already in 1983 - and again later with the new requirements - signed to become an organ donor. We are pleased to know that his liver, kidneys, lungs and pancreas are now making it possible for 4-5 other people there in B.C., Alberta or Washington State to live a few more years. - We are also grateful that he did not linger and suffer for a long time. He was conscious on Friday and part of Saturday and certainly aware that this was more than a little headache. He could hear us but was not able to reply, only shake his head or point his good hand to the left front of his head, indicating that's where the problem was. He was also trying desperately to massage his paralyzed right hand with his healthy left one.

No doubt you will understand that these 5 days (Friday - Tuesday) have been by far the worst ever experienced by Pia (mother), Michael (brother), Christina (sister) and me, the proud father. - It will take a very long time for us to get over this, we probably never will, but believe that "Time is a great healer". We will always remember and cherish our dear son and brother who meant so much to us and who touched so many lives in so many ways.

Len's death has served as another reminder for us to "Live one day at a time", because you really don't know about tomorrow. It is true as they say: "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a gift - that's why we call it The Present".

Regards from Allan, Pia, Mike, and Nina

UBC has established a special memorial fund for "The Len Henriksson Memorial Reading Corner" in the David Lam Library at UBC. If you'd like to contribute to this fund, please make out your cheque or money order to: "The University of British Columbia", with the note: "The Len Henriksson Memorial Reading Corner", and send it to:

Attention: Lindsay Brownlee, The UBC Fund
6253 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC   V6T 1Z1
Phone: (604) 822-4293   Fax: (604) 822-8151
Email: lindsay.brownlee@ubc.ca