THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120331
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Shelia Cliborne feels as though someone hit her over the head with a sledgehammer.
One month ago her husband, Wayne, was diagnosed with cancer of the spine, hips and lungs and was given six months to one year to live. Two weeks later, on Sept. 23, their mobile home burned to the ground. They had no fire, life or health insurance. And then Wayne died suddenly Oct. 2, leaving Shelia to raise three grandchildren by herself.
Life seemed to cave in on Cliborne, 51, a deli worker at Food Lion.
``It just all happened at one time,'' she said, sobbing. . ``My house burned up, then all of a sudden Wayne was gone. I can't believe it.''
Almost as suddenly help has come from friends, co-workers and most surprisingly total strangers. Her grief has been eased in part by an outpouring of community support that has exceeded anything she could have imagined.
Hospice Volunteers Inc. and the Food Lion on Princess Anne Road bought Cliborne a used, three-bedroom trailer for $2,000. It's only one court over from the old one in Wedgewood Mobile Home Park in Kempsville.
The Virginia Beach Church of God and the Azalea Garden Church of God donated new carpeting, food, clothing and furniture. Neighbors like Vanessa Vanwart pitched in with clothing, food and shoulders to cry on.
Before Wayne's death, home health agency Staff Builders donated the services of a registered nurse. And Hospice Volunteers had paid for all of Wayne's pain medication, nearly $800 worth, and a wheelchair, and also gave the family some furniture.
One of the hospice volunteers, Pat Hudson, worked round the clock with the Clibornes, spending 127 hours in two weeks tending to the family.
``We're called on to lend moral support and assistance to the family of the terminally ill,'' said Hudson. ``I happened to be the one chosen for them, and I'm very thankful for that.''
Gene Gramlich, executive director of Hospice Volunteers, said that he was thankful he could present a clear deed to the Clibornes for the trailer.
``Wayne thanked me and blessed me,'' said Gramlich. ``He knew it was paid for and died knowing that his family would be taken care of.''
Wayne Cliborne was the kind of guy who was more concerned with other people than with himself, his wife says. The tall, reed-thin redhead loved his three step-grandchildren.
A rabid Redskins fan, he was buried with a Redskins jersey. The former steelworker was polite to a fault and had a wonderful soul, said Vanwart, his neighbor.
``I was at Food Lion one day and dropped a $100 bill,'' she recalled. ``I went home and was crying. Wayne came over and asked me how much I lost. When I told him, he reached in his pocket and gave it to me. I know he could've used that money more than me.''
The only thing that the Cliborne family needs now is a heater for the trailer. A new one costs between $800 and $1,000 and has to come from a mobile home dealer, said Gramlich.
This entire experience has made Shelia Cliborne, a mother of four and grandmother of 11, look at others in a different way.
``I knew my family loved me, but to get all this from strangers - I didn't think so,'' she said. ``I just want to say `thank you' to everybody who has been so nice to us. I didn't think there was that many beautiful people out there.'' MEMO: If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation toward the purchase
of a heater for the Clibornes, send a check or money order to Hospice
Volunteers, 4663 Haygood Road, Suite 211, Virginia Beach, Va. 23455. Or
call them at 460-7822. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MORT FRYMAN, Staff
Debbie Ackerman, left, younger sister of Shelia Cliborne, center,
and Gene Hamlich of Hospice Volunteers Inc. Cliborne's grief has
been eased by a flood of community support.
Photo by LEROY KIERSTEAD
On Sept. 23, a fire destroyed the trailer home of Shelia and Wayne
Cliborne at Wedgewood Mobile Home Park, Virginia Beach. They had no
fire, life or health insurance. On Oct. 2, Wayne died of cancer.
Shelia was left to raise three grandchildren by herself.
by CNB