OWED TO FANNY AND AL

In February 2006, an elderly couple from Rossland, British Columbia, were both admitted to the Trail Hospital. Fanny Albo was 91 years old with heart ailments, and her husband Al was 96 years old, with a compression fracture in his back.
 Fanny and Al had been married for 69 years, and in that time had never been apart. Due to the lack of facilities in Trail because of recent closures to long-term care units, the Interior Health Authority unceremoniously separated the pair, sending Fanny to the Extended Care Unit in Grand Forks about 100 miles away. After nearly 70 years together, the couple were not even given the chance to say a proper goodbye to each other, and Fanny passed away two days later. Al died about a week after that. Although no one can say for sure that the separation caused their deaths, there is not a doubt in my mind that it hastened their demise. 
 This story hit a nerve in me partly because my own grandparents were from Rossland, and I am originally from the Kootenays. Some songs need to be written. Maybe this is one of them.

They offered each other their lifetimes
The year was 1936
Some things just come so natural
Some things you don’t need to fix

They were soulmates from the very beginning
They were always each other’s best friend
But no matter how much you wish it could last
All good things come to an end

They were married so close to 70 years
That the two of them fit like a glove
And it made little difference when they both became ill
It felt like their first day in love

They put their faith in a medical system
Never dreamed it would do them wrong
But it tore them apart and that broke their hearts
Two days and sweet Fanny was gone

I only knew them from the newspaper
Never did meet them personally
Only what I was told when it was printed in bold
And from what I saw on the TV

Questions were raised, excuses were made
We make mistakes like that now and then
About a week to the day and Al passed away
At least they are together again

Death is as sure as tomorrow
Certain as another daybreak
But dignity’s owed to the ones who grow old
For theirs and all of our sake

Apologies to the family were offered
But it seemed like a pretty hard sell
‘Cause if they ever owed their deepest regrets
They owe them to Fanny and Al

Words and music by Harley Carmen. Copyright © 2007 Harley Carmen (SOCAN).