Washington/New Delhi: A picture of a Winsconsin family holding beer and celebrating with an octogenarian on his hospital deathbed connected with social media users in a big way.
Family patrick Norbert Schemm, 87, of Appleton had wished that his loved ones were beside him in his final moments while he sipped a beer. The family talked and laughed and reminisced before taking a picture of the group, which his son Tom shared on the family Whatsapp group.
Hours later the senior Schemm died, following which his grandson Adam Schemm posted the family picture and wrote on Twitter handle @AdamSchemm: “My grandfather passed away today. Last night all he wanted to do was to have one last beer with his sons.”
It had garnered 30.8K retweets and 320.6K likes on Twitter. It had more than 4,000 comments, turning up on Reddit and other social platforms.
Replying to @AdamSchemm, one user wrote: “I missed doing that with my father by 3 hours. You’re very lucky. I’m beyond sorry for your loss.”
Another wrote: “We did the same with our beautiful Dad in July this year. Though no alcohol was involved!! My condolences to all your families. Xx”.
A user posted a family picture with his grandfather and remarked: “I lost my grandpa a year ago. It took all his strength but we got him out to eat the best steak money could buy. Besides steak, all he wanted was a ‘Wisconsin’ Old Fashion and to try espresso for the first time. He was alive for one more night before he passed 7 days later.”
Another post had a picture of an old woman on her deathbed along with the comment: “My grandmom did the same thing but with shots of Bailey’s”.
Adam said: “My grandpa had been relatively healthy over the course of his life but it was on the Sunday last week while he was in hospital that they realised it would be the end. He called his grandchildren to tell us on the Monday. We took the picture on Tuesday night and then he died from stage four colon cancer on Wednesday.”
“My dad told us that grandpa had wanted a beer and now when I look at that picture it gives me solace,” he told BBC.
“I can tell my grandpa is smiling. He’s doing what he wanted to do – it was an impromptu moment.”