Terminally ill with lung cancer, former Marine Corps Sgt. Jeffrey Raymond Wheeler received his dying wish: to watch his son, Jeff, a mathematics lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh, teach a class.
One last wish
According to Military Times, the 68-year-old veteran from Wheeling, West Virginia, served as a Marine in Vietnam in the 1960s. When he returned home, he experienced what many servicemembers of the time went through – a nation not supporting the war he had just fought in. He always spoke about how difficult the transition to civilian life was while his children were growing up. During his life after service, Wheeler worked as a coal miner.
When his son accompanied him to cancer treatment at a VA facility, they learned that Wheeler would not have long to live. Doctors deemed his condition too frail for chemotherapy, and told Jeff it would not be long before his father's health deteriorated. He decided to ask his hard-working father what his last few wishes were. In addition to going home to see his wife that afternoon, the elder Wheeler said he simply wanted to see his son teach. Jeff knew he wanted to do something special to honor his father and grant him this touching request.
An afternoon to remember
Wheeler's son, a 46-year-old father of three who earned his doctorate at the University of Memphis, has been a part of the Pitt staff for six years. When he decided to have his father sit it on a class, he reached out to his family, students and colleagues, all of whom were extremely supportive, reported Stars and Stripes. Jeff's younger brother agreed to drive his parents up for the day, while the school's Veterans Service Center decided to throw Wheeler a reception after class was over. Jeff's co-workers provided refreshments for the event.
During the class, the proud father watched as his son lectured on mathematics in multiple dimensions during a class geared toward science and engineering majors. Military Times noted that while the subject matter was advanced and often confusing for those not well-versed in high-level mathematics, the former servicemember remained engaged throughout the entire thing as he watched his eldest son prepare students for exams. Stars and Stripes reported that Wheeler often whispered "he's a professor" to himself as he watched his son excel in his element.