When I told my husband the news, he reminded me of his step mothers father that died the same way at 61 years of age. A farmer all his life, for the last 25 or more years he took this exact same path back to the barn every day and on this day, maybe his tire caught something or maybe he veered an inch or two off the path and hit uneven terrain - who knows - but the tractor flipped on him and he was also killed instantly
I had spoken to Jerry's other daughter Robyn - several times in the past, but never Jennifer and as soon as she said "Is this Donna? This is Jennifer - Jerry Tyler's daughter" all I could say was "Please tell me that your Dad is okay" and then I heard the news ...
It can be all over in an instant, cant it? Doing something so ordinary and so every day "normal". One minute all is well and in the next instant you are gone
I told Jennifer the story about me being her Dad's "Canadian girlfriend" ... When I brought Sato up for the first year to stand him, the intention was for him to go back to Jerry's place at the end of the year and then I'd get him in the spring again. At the border, I explained that I was just "borrowing him" not buying him and as soon as breeding season was over, back he'd go. Well - they didnt believe me and I was there for almost 2 hours. I guess they figured at some point I'd "break" and admit that I had bought him. But since I hadnt - I WASNT giving in and they kept saying "Why would this man just GIVE you his horse?" and finally in the end I said "Because Im his girlfriend!" Well - Canada Customs wanted his phone number and contact information which I had to give to them and then they finally let me go and I was PARANOID that they were going to call him and get Nancy - his wife - and say they had been talking to Jerry's girlfriend about this horse and she'd be furious! I got hold of Jerry once I left the border and explained what I had told Customs and he had to pull over - he was laughing SO hard and from that point on, I was known as his "Canadian Girlfriend". Nancy and I had quite the chuckle over that one any time I got hold of her when I called ...
I am so grateful that he got the foal of his dreams with his beloved Jinx mare (by Puchilingui) by Guaranteed Gold. He was laid up after his hip replacement surgery and Jennifer was there for the birth. I guess she didnt know you were supposed to look under the tail instead of underneath to determine the sex , and as she didnt see testicles or a penis, she pronounced it a filly and it wasnt until several weeks later when Jerry was able to get down and see "her" that he noticed "she" peed with something hanging down underneath instead of out the back end ! He teased Jennifer non stop over that one!
Man I will miss him terribly. He was a wealth of knowledge and just one of the kindest and most generous people I knew ...
