Heartwarming: Hospice patient & former forest ranger experiences the outdoors one last time

WASHINGTON STATE (WITI) -- A man named Ed was a patient at Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, Washington. When he was healthy, Ed spent a lot of time outdoors -- working as a forest ranger.

As a result of Ed's illness and the difficulty in transporting him, Ed hadn't been outside for several years.

His wish, which he shared with Evergreen Hospice's Chaplain, was to go outside -- saying that when he was healthy, he lived for the outdoors.

According to an Evergreen Hospice Facebook post, the Hospice's Chaplain brought Ed's wish to the attention of the Hospice team -- and the wheels were rolling.

A local fire department agreed to help transport Ed for one final visit to the outdoors.

In March, Ed was picked up and transported in an EMS vehicle to Meadowdale Beach Park in Edmonds.

Ed was taken up and down trails -- bringing him the scents of the forest by touching the fragrant growth and bringing their hands close to Ed's face.

Evergreen Hospice reports Ed was delighted -- as were all of those who worked so hard to make this possible for him.

Evergreen Hospice's Facebook post says:

"People sometimes think working in hospice care is depressing. This story demonstrates the depths of the rewards that caring for the dying can bring."

Evergreen Hospice's Facebook post has been shared more than 8,000 times.