John

["Virginia Driscoll" <babblefish_@hotmail.com>]

Poster: "Virginia Driscoll" <babblefish_@hotmail.com>

>Subject: John "Dog" Lefcort, 5/19/76 - 5/19/98 One fine human

It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of John "Dog" Lefcort.  
He and I met in Black Diamond/Blacksburg, VA three years ago and i will 
never be the same.  His quirky sense of humor and outlook on life have 
helped me many times to get past some hard places in my life and i will 
miss him dearly.

His parents have made the hard decision to let him pass at Noon pacific 
time/3pm eastern time.  Please think of him and wish him well.


I recieved a phone call from Beth McKenzie on Sunday afternoon.  She 
informed me that Dog had arrived at a hospital in Oakland and he wasn't 
able to communicate.  She knew that we had traveled to California 
together and thought that i might have his parents' information.  That 
is when i called Lyndi.



>Dog was just arriving in Berkeley to visit some friends and to look for 
a new place to live from SF.  He was a pedestrian crossing the street 
when a white car (this is all the info that I have, I have not yet 
confirmed with the detective yet) was weaving through traffic and 
decided to pass using the far right lane the moment that Dog thought 
that it was clear to cross.  They hit him and fled.  As of yesterday, 
still the perpetrator is unfound.
>
>The impact was swift but left him brain dead.  The left and right 
ostracles of the brain are symmetrical.  His left was pushed into the 
right, forcing the stem of the brain down into his spinal cord.  One leg 
was completely crushed. The closest hospital with a good trauma team was 
Highland Hospital in Oakland.
>
>I'm still uncertain, but he must have had the phone number of his best 
friend, Djinn in Virginia (the little sister of one of my closest 
friends - this is how I met Dog) where a social worker from the hospital 
contacted her to find out info on his parents.  She promptly called me, 
and because they had no information on him, they did not release the 
seriousness of his condition.
>Fortunately, Djinn's brother Jimmy was with me when the call came in.  
I did not know Dogs' parents but knew that either his info was on HR 
papers at his and Seib's work, or by slim chance, did Jimmy keep old 
telephone bills (Dog was Jimmy's room mate when he first arrived from 
Virginia).  I called Seib, told him of the seriousness of the situation 
and dispatched him to his office to try to find any pertinent info.  In 
the meantime, Jimmy found the phone # in minutes and his parents were 
contacted by the hospital.  Seib, was closer to Oakland than I, and he 
and Desiree left for the hospital immediately as I gathered myself to 
get there.  
>
>When I arrived, I was met by Seib and Desiree who escorted me into the 
Trauma ICU.  There I saw the broken and severely bruised body of my 
kind, sweet, gentle friend.  I was told that the chief of staff of 
neurology had decided against operating to remove the huge hematoma that 
was gathering in his brain, but after a CAT, they realized that the 
operation would be futile.  The ONLY positive thing was that John 
Lefcort could breathe of his own volition.  His parents in  Jacksonville 
Florida, upon the advice of his Dr's, made the decision not to arrive 
until the following day.  They needed to make arrangements to bring the 
body of their son home.
>
>Because I knew that I could not let my friend pass in the night alone, 
I stayed with him the majority of the night, leaving at around 4:00 as 
it was apparent that his young healthy body would not expire quite yet.  
By the following morning, Dog who silently waited the arrival of his 
parents, finally was unable to breathe alone without assistance.  He was 
placed on full respiratory.  
>
>Today is Dog's 22nd birthday.  His parents felt that they would prefer 
to keep him alive until today.  
>
>This is the sad story of the end of a very fine human beings life.  
Somebody who, in my personal opinion, mattered.  Please, gather yourself 
together at noon, and spend five minutes with the rest of the people 
whom he touched in his very short lived time on this earth and send him 
all the love and good thoughts before his parents help send him on his 
long journey from this place. Wish him swift and safe passage, I know he 
will be able to feel all of us and be able to release himself.
>
>Again, the directions to my home for tonight's wake (hoist a beer and 
have some beer nuts and deep fried food that he so loved!) and to share 
with his parents, lovely anecdotes of who John "Dog" Lefcort was.  I'm 
uncertain how many will be here, he moved in many circles, so I ask that 
you assist by bringing something to share, food or beverage: 
>My home # is: 408.370.0243
>
>My address is: 1012 Gale Drive, Campbell CA
>
>From 880 towards Santa Cruz, take the Hamilton Avenue exit, right.  
Cross Winchester Blvd, San Thomas Expwy, Darrell Drive.  Make a left on 
Marathon (City Pizza & Mervyn's), 1st right on Gale Drive all the way to 
the end of the cul-de-sac.  You can park around the far side of Mervyn's 
and hop the short wall and nearly land on my front yard.
>
>From 280 towards San Jose, take the Saratoga Avenue exit right.  Follow 
down until you reach a small left-hand turn at San Thomas Aquino - turn 
left until you reach Hamilton Avenue.  Make another left.  Make a right 
on Marathon (City Pizza & Mervyn's), 1st right on Gale Drive all the way 
to the end of the cul-de-sac.  You can park around the far side of 
Mervyn's and hop the short wall and nearly land on my front yard.
>
>Lyndi



>>Folks,

>>I would like to put together some stories of Dog and his adventures. I 
think it would be nice to be able to give his parents
some insights on how other people saw him.

>>If you feel inclined to share some memories or anecdotes, either to 
all of us our just to his family, email me with your stories, I will put 
them together and give them to his parents and all of you.


>>Thanks,

>>Seib  seib@flash.net






At 04:40 PM 5/18/98 -0700, Mikey wrote:
>All of you remember John "Dog" Lefcort as kind of a rogue, silly,
>outrageous kinda guy.
>
>Dog showed us what it's like to have a fresh perspective on life. He
>always had kind words to say to all who spoke to him.
>
>Dog was hit by a car yesterday afternoon in Berkeley. He is 
currrently>on life support at Highland Trauma Center in Oakland. He 
cannot breathe>on his own and has no brain activity.
>
>I know I will miss Dog terribly. I cannot find words to explain the
>terrible grief I feel that this young mans life ended so tragically
>soon. 
>
>Please observe a moment of silence with me on Tuesday, Dog's 22nd
>birthday, at 12:00 noon Pacific time. Dog's life support will be 
turned>off at that time.
>
>Let's all pray that Dog's voyage into the next life is a good one.
>
>Mikey
>mikey@mikey.org
>


>According to Dog's father, the police told him that there were many
witnesses and they do have the license number of the car that hit Dog.
The police are trying to determine who was driving the car at that 
time.Having spoken to the investigating officer,  I know they are 
seriouslypursuing the driver.Seib





If i have missed anyone who knew him and cared for him please let them 
know.  I will be trying to get a wake set up at Pennsic for him.  I will 
let you know when and where.  
thank you, 
with love,
"djinn" Virginia Driscoll/ Neamhain of Black Diamond

if you need anything call me at 
(540)825-5819

I will try to get information about services and where to send 
condolences as soon as i can.



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