Donna's Sons
Danny, born Daniel Henry Coles in 1982, was named
for his father's best friend & cousin, Hank (Henry) Coles. Coincidentally,
Danny's birth came on Hank's birthday several years after Hank's death. Danny has a great
sense of humor, and a quick wit that can stop you in your tracks. Danny has such a
gentle side, too. I remember driving to Carnesville, Georgia, to see my dad one
Friday morning. He had been ill, and I wanted to remind the boys to pay special
attention to Grandpa because his illness could take him any day. Before I could even
get my usual monologue started, Danny (9 years old at the time) interrupted me with an
emphatic response that he actually liked being with Grandpa and he did not need any
reminders. I walked in Grandpa's room later that day -- the oxygen tank lay next to
the bed and tubing ran up his neck and around his head into his nose. From the
position of the bed pillows, I could see that Danny had been comfortably visiting in his
room for some time. Danny offered Grandpa a final fork-load of mashed potatoes and
some of his gummy bears.
Dan is 24 years old now. In 2006, he graduated from Appalachian State
University, a great college in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. With
a double major in Business Management and Political Science, he ended his college
career with a 3.94 GPA.
Taylor, born Taylor William Coles in 1984, was named for my
father, Bill Banks. Taylor's sparkling eyes danced constantly. He touched
everything in sight, loved everything he touched and put everything he touched in his
mouth -- while at the same time, seemingly screaming, "I need
stimulation!" We affectionately refer to him as Hurricane Taylor. Taylor
surrounds himself with friends. He loves team sports and is almost too comfortable
on his wake board doing 360s sailing across the choppy Gulf waters at 40 miles per hour.
During the same visit to Grandpa back in 1991, Taylor (then 7 years old) went out in to the fields and picked Grandpa some flowers. He got a glass out of the kitchen cabinet, added some water, and presto, a beautiful yellow flower arrangement soon adorned Grandpa's room.Suddenly, Taylor started sneezing and his eyes swelled up like the Elephant Man. Grandpa gasped for more air from his oxygen tank.We were all startled until we realized the beautiful yellow flowers were Golden Rod. A quick Science lesson,a little Benedryl and we were back in shape in no time.
Taylor, 22 is a senior at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. In addition to studying the ski slopes from his snowboard, he finds time to study business management and is planning on being an entrepreneur and eventually own the world. Obviously he hasn't heard that Bill Gates has a headstart on that quest!
