Gregory Olmstead

My Big Brother
By Thomas Olmstead
Tonight my big brother Greg passed away.  I am so sad.  I feel like a real part of me is gone.  The memories of growing up together, the room we shared for years and the long talks we had about life, sports and just about everything you can think of.  It seemed like no matter how far I moved from home if I needed to talk with my big brother I could make that call and get a pep talk.  There was more than once where I wept on his shoulder.
Oh, yes, we certainly lived a different kind of life style as adults, but that didn’t matter for he was always willing to help me whenever and however I needed.  I didn’t always understand why he lived the way he did.  But there was one thing I knew for sure, and that is he loved me very much.  These last ten years he has gone out of his way to express just how much this is so.  In fact, Greg had a great love for people.
As a teenager and later as a young adult he was always the most handsome man in the crowd.  The girls and even the guys just loved to be around him.   But he was more than just a good looking guy.  He had a personality that just attracted people and they loved to be with him. When I would see my friends that I grew up and who I had not seen for years the first question they would ask is, “how is Greg doing and what is he up to these days.  And then they would ask about me.
In sports he was a superstar.  Punt and throw the football further than anyone.  Break school records on how far he could through the soft ball.  Radar gun clocked his pitching the baseball as fast 98 MPH.  He was just about the best at any sport he tried to do.
Even in elementary school he had a reputation for his sports ability.  The most popular sport was kick ball played on a baseball style diamond.  Well he could kick the ball further than anyone in the school and he was constantly kicking the ball over the fence.  Because of this he was given the really cool nickname of “Big Foot.”   Being three and a half years behind Greg I was therefore given the nickname of “Little Foot.”  He told once that about ten or twelve years later he was on a date with his wife when someone recognized him and said, “hey big foot how are you doing.”
I remember one night outside the Bob’s Big Boy restaurant.  There were several guys just looking for a fight.  I was not a fighter, but for some reason they decided that I was a good target and started to do a little pushing and shoving along with some name calling.  Well I was ready for some not so good things to happen.  At that point someone in the crowd stepped forward and said to them, “Do you know who that is your picking on?”  “No we don’t, and what’s it matter’” they said.  “Well, you should know that he’s Greg Olmstead’s little brother.”       Boy did the apologies fly out of their mouths and they were gone in about two minutes.  It was a good thing, because Greg was off to college and not even in town at the time.
I remember the time when about eight years old I was riding an old rundown bike.  The pedals slipped and my left foot was caught into the front wheel spokes just about cutting off one of my toes.  A construction worker put me and the bike into his truck and drove me home.  It was my big brother Greg (12) that carried me to the car and then into the emergency room of the hospital.
Later after I was healing up and I had to where a shoe with the end of it cut out.  I was walking home from the store through the parking lot when some bully started making fun of me and then slapped me twice hard across the face.  Of course I went home crying.  I told mom what happened and Greg took off out the door like a bullet to see if he could find the guy and punch him out.  Keep in mind Greg was only 12 years old at the time.
Greg was not what most people would think of as religious.  He was not a church goer or a scripture reader.  He could be good at swearing and often drink more than he should.  But in his own way he loved his Father in Heaven and prayed deeply when in times of need.
He loved to hear me tell him about the wonderful spiritual experiences of my two year mission and later church experiences.  One of the favorite stories he liked was the time my car broke down on the freeway during morning rush hour traffic in Norfolk Virginia. I was on my first assignment and didn’t know any one.  I pulled over and said a quick prayer for help.  Looking into the rear view mirror I saw a red truck with flashing lights pull in behind me.  A man jumped out dressed in a complete Superman suit.  Came over and asked if he could help.  Well he did, and had me on the road again in about 10 min.  “What the” I thought.  Boy Lord when you answer prayers here in Virginia you do it quick and with a flare.”  Later I found out that he was the “freeway fix it” man sponsored by a local car dealership.    Any way, you look at it my prayer was answered. Who would have thought that just about 3 years later when Greg was visiting Virginia that we would be driving by that exact spot.
Following the admonition of James in the New Testament He would sometimes ask for a priesthood blessing.  “If there are any sick among you” James declared, “let him call upon the Elders of the church that they might anoint you with oil etc.”  Quite often I was the one to do so.
Last two text from Greg to me.
Sunday March 19, 2017.  (From the hospital morning after stroke)   VhjasimatkjaiserhadStrokeorheartattAckcoddeL ivy (original spelling retained)
Thursday March 23, 2017 to Greg from Tom
Hi Greg.  So glad your home and doing better.  I’m sure it’s been tough, but so are you.  I am flying out next Wednesday 3/29 and staying until Wednesday 4/12.  Hopefully you won’t get sick of me.  Love you, tommy
Greg to Tom March 23, 1027
Well Tommy I got totally blind sided again bro been an MRI cat scan and some other test in a big chamber plus talking walking eating and really scared!!  I saw David Joseph and he gave me a great prayer I actually cried!  See you soon bro love you too!!  Greg.
I could write much more but that will have to do for now.  Just know that I did and do and will forever love my big Brother Greg.