KYLE — Patricia “Pat” Doyle, a resident of The Philomena Assisted Living & Memory Care in Kyle, has long been an admirer of the Comal, Guadalupe and San Marcos rivers. She’s had a yearning to revisit the San Marcos River, reliving the memories of floating down it in her youth — and The Philomena Assisted Living & Memory Care team made her dream a reality.
With thoughtful and careful planning, Priscilla Duran, the executive director at The Philomena, along with Wellness Director Hunter Bilson and two hospice team members, orchestrated an unforgettable day for Doyle floating down the river.
In preparation, the team got her set up with a float, sun shirt, swim pants and booties, along with snacks and a fun cup. They also scouted the river ahead of time to make sure there were no obstacles or rapids that would be hard on her. They identified a strip of the San Marcos River that was calm and took about 45 minutes to float. They decided that would be the perfect location.
When the day of the float arrived, Doyle was met with a send-off from her fellow residents at The Philomena. The group accompanying her included several team members from The Philomena, two hospice team members, her daughter Susan and granddaughter Emily. As they gently lifted Doyle into the river, she was moved to tears of joy. Her family said that they hadn’t seen her this happy in a long time.
“When we heard about Pat’s wish, there was no question about it — we were going to make it happen,” said Duran. “She had expressed to her family that she wanted her ashes spread into the river when she passed away. We thought, why wait until she passes to have her float the river again? We wanted to create a meaningful experience for Pat and this was the perfect opportunity.”
Doyle’s journey down the San Marcos River was a triumphant return to a place of deep personal significance. The Philomena’s staff wanted her to experience that joy again and they did everything possible to make her wish come true.
For more information about The Philomena, visit www.thephilomena.com.
