IMPORTANT NOTE: I have Shortfinals’ written permission to post this diary and information contained herein.
A bit of background about Shortfinals for those who have come along since early 2014, and may not know of him:
Shortfinals is the nom de plume of Ross Sharp, one of the most beloved writer/photographers to ever write diaries on Daily Kos. He posted diaries on topics of interest to him. That meant airplanes, trains, Derbyshire, Wales, Scotland, mechanical curiosities, and interesting people. He knows everybody worth knowing in the RAF.
In the two years between the time he joined DKos in March 2012, and his last diary in March 2014, he posted 486 diaries. He stopped posting stories and his unique photos after being deeply hurt by several DKos ‘hall monitors’ for not writing in a style that suited them. Really!
Since then, he has been writing articles about obscure British aircraft for the Smithsonian’s Air & Space magazine.
Here is the list of his Daily Kos diaries: LINK
A former curator of the RAF museum, his knowledge of aviation and unusual aircraft is encyclopedic. In addition, he was once part of the curatorial team for the National Museum of Science and History , which included the National Railway Museum, York, UK.
A polymath, he is one of the very small number of people I have known to have a true eidedic memory.
After he came to the US in the 1990s, he became a US citizen. He has worked as a medical librarian in the Boston area. That is, until libraries started going full digital and getting rid of books and journals. He has been laid off several times, falling on hard times as a result.
Shortfinals’ current problem at hand, in his own words:
I got several emails from him Sunday evening. I am stunned and shaken by this news, as are all our small circle of friends and acquaintances. Here are excerpts from what he wrote. Where he described specific medical issues, I paraphrased and placed in brackets to protect privacy:
“My world just fell apart, today.
We drove to the local hospital, because Jan had been experiencing some [stomach] problems.
To our horror, she was diagnosed with [cancer that has metastasized to multiple organs].
She is going to be seen by specialists--two of whom I know--but the outlook is truly grim.
She is taking this remarkably well, whereas I am not. I have spent nearly 22 years with her.
She's already talking about future plans for me - and says at some point she wants me to 'go home'*.
I said we'll cross that bridge when we/if come to it.
I do not know what else to say.....now I must pack a small suitcase for her and take her laptop into the hospital. She says she has things to do.”
* She means that he should go home to England
He went on later in another message:
“At the moment I am still reeling....I had to dash back from the hospital (the one where I used to work) to gather some toiletries, underwear and nightgowns for Jan. We spent a lot of time talking, and she seems, already, to have reached an accommodation. She said that - eventually - she wants me 'to go home'.
“That is where your project is,” she said.
I cannot get to that point yet.......I built a whole life/world around this gem of a lady, and we had hoped to spend the rest of our days, together. I remember seeing the Fall color as the Virgin Atlantic 747 swept in over Boston Harbor, that day in 1999 - and we have been together ever since, through all the trials and tribulations of life.
I cannot think of life without this strong, brave, honourable Italian/Irish lass - my tears are truly falling like rain.”
I am not sure what we here at Daily Kos can do to support this great man and good friend. As I write this, I am shaken to the core. I will try to find out more in coming days and keep all his friends and supporters informed.
For those who are not aviators, here is an explanation of his username, “shortfinals.”
An airplane is on short final when it turns from the base leg of the landing pattern to the final approach to the runway. In this brief video, the little Piper turns from the base leg to final approach at the :10 mark. As it comes over the last few yards before the runway, at about 50’ altitude, it is on Short Final.
We hope he comes in for a smooth landing.
Sockpuppet just suggested a Community Quilt might be a good idea.
What do you think?
Shortfinals said he would be grateful for any help we can give. His medical bills for his cancer ("under control at the moment”) treatments are staggering, already. Now he has Jan’s expenses, too. If you wish to help, here is his PayPal account: airshowconsultants@gmail.com (Ross Sharp)
Using PayPal, for those who need a refresher:
From your computer, here’s how to send money:
- Click Send & Request at the top of the page.
- Enter the recipient’s name, PayPal username, email address or mobile number and click Next.
- Enter the amount, choose the currency, add a note (if needed) and click Continue.
- Select "Sending to a friend.”
- Select how you want to pay and click Next.
- Review the information and click Send Payment Now.
Thanks, y’all. (Sockpuppet added this update) ❤️