This coming Sunday November 17, our music community is gathering to support Harry Gale and family. Please join us.
Life is so fragile, so very very short, and so incredibly unpredictable. We have no guarantees that when we go to sleep at night we will even wake up the next day.
On the morning of September 12, Annie and Harry Gales' lives were changed forever. They were chatting and suddenly she noticed something was not right with him, he was having a massive stroke. So an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital for treatment. That morning, my friend, Spike contacted me and shared the horrible news about our pal Harry Gale. Harry had emergency brain surgery to relieve the swelling in his brain and within two days he slipped into a coma. Sadly, he's been in that coma ever since.
When you live in a loving community, news travels fast and help begins. I believe at the core, most people are good. The music community around here is so very caring, loving, and tight. In times like these, we all come together to help. I experienced this type of mass loving kindness in 2017 when our neighborhoods burned down. And now at this time Harry and his beautiful family are needing our love and support, so we're working together and putting on a day of music to send love and support to the Gale family, and to raise funds to help out with Harrys' ever increasing medical expenses.
After spending some time in a San Francisco hospital he was moved to a local hospital. Since he's been moved here to Sonoma Specialty Hospital in Sebastopol, I've been visiting him weekly. From the first week when he was completely unresponsive to my more recent visits, I can happily report that there seems to be movement in the right direction. The last couple times when I was there talking to him, he opened his eyes. I truly believe that he hears us and the music we play for him. Next to his bed is a CD player, so when I leave his bedside I make sure I chose a CD and press play upon my exit, and have asked the staff and visitors to do the same. For the last couple weeks I went with my friend, local songbird and vocal coach, Gailene Elliot. She brought her trusty Martin guitar. Gailene has known Harry for 40+ years. She serenaded him for an hour and at the end of that hour when we were telling him that visiting hours were over so we had to leave, he opened his eyes wide. It was a beautiful encouraging moment. And then Gailene placed her guitar on Harrys' chest telling him that they will be playing together again soon. Witnessing this heartfelt interaction brought tears to my eyes. And when he clearly responded it gave us both the hope that his recovery is on the way. Especially with the support of this beautiful, loving music community. Since then, I know that he has squeezed Annie, Issy and Nicks' hands and those are also great signs! All are victories on the road to recovery. I've known Harry Gale for about 14 or 15 years. I'm not a musician so I haven't played with him or recorded with him but we are both music lovers with a similar taste in music. He's turned me onto to some great bands in the past. And he even rescued me from a bad date! Two stand out gigs we loved over the years were when we saw Rival Sons at the Fillmore and London Souls at The Mystic, amongst several others. Chris from London Souls sent me a video message for Harry. I played it for him at the hospital and I know he hears it. The last time I saw Harry at an event was at a Spike Sikes gig in August. He was in good spirits and as normal, he greeted me with that warm and welcoming smile (pictured below). I noticed that he dropped some weight and looked healthy and in true happy Harry spirits.
For the last couple weeks a committee of about a dozen of us have been planning a day of fundraising, love and music to be held at the Sebastopol Community Center. It will take place on November 17 from 1-5. I was over the moon when so many musicians and bands reached out to me to get on the list to participate. In fact if we agreed for everyone that volunteered to play - the event would go for a week, as there were so many people stepping up to get involved. That is one of the most beautiful things - when a community comes together to help each other....especially in these horribly dark and divided times with a scary future for this country. So, the term, 'it takes a village' is so appropriate now. And this 'village' of the music people in Northern California is stepping up with so much love, support, kindness and lots of music. I am so lucky to be part of this beautiful community of wonderful humans! It's beautiful to see everyone send so much love to Harry and his family during this very difficult time. I do believe the loving and healing vibes being sent, and the music being played, is slowly reaching him to bring him back. If you'd like to join us at this event you can purchase tickets here on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/benefit-to-raise-money-for-harrysmedical-expenses-after-devastating-stroke-tickets-1060431532259?aff=oddtdtcreator If you cannot join us on the day, but you'd like to donate to Hope for Harry, please use this Go Fund Me link:
There is also a link where you can sign up to bring a meal for 4, (for Annie, the kids and Harrys' mom). Here's where you can sign up for the Meal Train: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/17wo3q/
And from me and all of those that are involved with Hope for Harry, thank you for whatever you can do to help the Gale family in this difficult time. And please keep on sending the love and healing vibes his way. With so much appreciation. Thank you. 🙏🏼 I've learned that practicing daily gratitude, kindness and compassion towards others especially nowadays, can be so precious for the basics in this thing we call life.
PS....a little thought from The Music Soup...Always remember to cherish each minute of life, forgive quickly, apologize generously and often, laugh as much as possible, love each other like it was your last day, and be kind, be very kind (always) because life is so precious, and so very very short. Love each other today because tomorrow is never guaranteed. 💜
©Cheryl Alterman Photography 2023 / 2024
Comments