Jarell YatesApril 9 1920 - September 2 2006
Our long time member Jarrell Yates passed away Saturday, September 2, 2006.
Mr. Yates was a veteran of the U. S. Navy in World War II. He was retired from American Cyanamid after 43 years, and was a member of Avondale First Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mrs. Ann Yates of Decatur; son, Mike Yates of Stockbridge; daughter, Debbie Weldon and son-in-law Tony of Dallas, GA; two brothers, Lamon Yates, John Yates; grandchildren, Chuck Hunt, Brandy Cleary, Kim Yates, Jamie Yates; and nine great grandchildren.
Jarell was the first larygectomee that I met personally. Before that I only knew my own reflection in the mirror. That was in the rook E-822 at the Emory University Hospital in March 2000. The nurse opened the door and and let this elderly gentlemen in a US Navy cap in. He had a broad smile and introduced himself as Jarell Yates with the Greater Atlanta Voice Masters.
The day before I found two unrelated articles about the number of laryngectomy surgeries and number of laryngectomees in the U.S. Comparing the two I concluded that the chances of long-term survival were minimal. I was angry at myself for not reading this sooner and for letting them perform this serious surgery on myself. In one word, I was very pessimistically disposed.
As if he was reading my mind, Jarell come closer to me and said "Don’t worry, you’ll be OK." In that moment I was thinking that he at least lived to a respectable age before this happened to him. He was "reading" me again and told me that he had his surgery more than 20 years ago (WOW!) and that he, since that time, has lived a productive and virtually normal life.
He looked at my larygectomy advice book and waved it off. He told me that it wouldn't harm to read it, but not to expect too much, and that I had to fight the battle for my life my own way.
Jarell brought hope to my hospital room. After that visit I forgot about the statistic that worried me the night before. I was eager to leave this hospital room as quickly as possible, to get rid of the feeding tube and to start the battle for my life. The face looking back at me from the mirror still looked scary but was no longer sullen.
Jarell invited me to join GAVM and I went to the first meeting out of gratitude for him and the visit he paid me. Later I started visiting new larygectomees myself and I still do that. Ever time I open hospital room doors I think back at the elderly gentleman with a baseball cap and a broad smile. I try to give that same smile to other people and I am sure they do the same. I know I will never again bump into Jarell at the hardware store in Decatur, but I am sure that I will see his smile again. Thank you Jarell for that smile that means so much to me. That's part of your legacy.
Borislav Jovanovic
An obituary for Jarell Yates (off site)