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Ed Yeates ReportingDavid Haws, a young man who captured the love of many people, some who had never met him before, has died at the age of 24. David, whose life was dwindling away from a very rare disease, prompted a special report on Channel 5 last November.
He was a young man who baffled the best medical minds in the country, even the Mayo Clinic. His body was drying up from the inside out and nobody could stop it. But in the throes of death, David chose to fade away from this life with dignity and a peace of mind that for some was rarer than the disorder itself.
He made it through Thanksgiving and especially Christmas, the holiday he most wanted to spend with his family. He died quietly last night with those he loved around him.
Glenn Haws, David's father: "He left life very conscious. He would not take medication that would take away his consciousness."
David saw his world in a whole new perspective, holding on to his faith, leaving behind a philosophical package of love and peace that moved everybody he met.
Glenn Haws: "The sweetness of David, the peace he offered to the world. As he passed away last night, as we watched the last few beats of his heart, that song was played."
That song, Homeward Bound, was David's favorite and that's what he heard at the end.
Glenn Haws: "He had no fear. He knew exactly where he was going and what his next journey was to be."
David Haws, November 2006: "I guess the only way I can describe the peace in myself is I know I've fought a good fight. I've done the best I can."
