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Roxboro, North Carolina – Person County community mourns the death of its emergency chaplain, who died Wednesday afternoon after a long battle with COVID-19
Merritt Buchanan spent about two weeks in Duke’s intensive care unit battling the virus, as the community sent prayers.
Unfortunately, the man remembered as a pillar of the community, lost this fight.
A long procession of grieving first responders escorted Buchanan’s body to Person County from Duke Hospital.
“It’s just a testimonial that Person County first responders would want to pick him up at midnight and bring him home,” said Ralph Thompson, director of EMS chaplains.
He considered Buchanan a good friend.
“Upon retirement, he faithfully served the Lord by serving first responders and those in crisis in Person County. And he did it with the zeal and energy of a young man, ”added Thompson.
The 72-year-old has served as a chaplain for the volunteer fire departments, hospitals and the police department.
It served as a “ light ” for patients with COVID
During the pandemic, he became a light for many patients with COVID-19, praying for them and their nurses.
“We were struggling daily to take care of people with COVID. Watching him die, I wonder who is going to share these words of encouragement now to help us, ”said Pattie Hatcher, who worked with Buchanan at Person Memorial Hospital.
Hatcher said she had never met a chaplain as concerned and caring as Buchanan in 30 years as a nurse.
“He was one of the greatest. He really was, ”she says.
College teacher, hospital quilt, disaster scene volunteer
Jermaine Wallace, one of his college students, remembered him saying, “He was there for everything, no matter what. Whether it’s going to the hospital to visit people, showing up at a disaster scene, or just saying hello when you walk into a restaurant. This is what a lot of people in the community will really miss. “
According to many who knew him, he was a true servant who will never be forgotten.
“What we’re going to see over the next few days is exactly how many lives he’s touched,” Thompson said. “I believe his life, his legacy will continue to touch many more lives just through his memory and the inspiration of others.”
The family are making memorial arrangements for him, but do not have a fixed plan yet.
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