Phil Melfi

One of my best friends and my business partner, Phil Melfi, passed away on Tuesday.  He suffered a massive heart attack several weeks ago and underwent 7 bypasses.  He recovered and was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, October 31st.  Halloween.

He came home around 4pm and was lying in bed.  We were chatting a bit to catch up some.  Then he asked me if I wanted to walk with him to the kitchen.  When you have heart surgery, the doctors recommend you walk four times a day, expanding your distance walked each time.  Since he had just come home, his distance was limited to about 20-30 feet round trip.

Phil got out of bed and walked slowly out into the hallway with me beside him, and one of his other friends behind him.  He got about six steps into the hall and stopped.  We thought he was just resting for the moment.  Then, he reached out and grabbed my arm.

Three seconds.  That’s all it was.  He let out a long heavy sigh and collapsed.  His heart had stopped and so had his respiration.  After calling the ambulance we applied CPR.  Since we lived a little ways out into the country, it took about 30 minutes for the ambulance arrived.  We didn’t let up once with the compressions or breaths.

They weren’t able to restore a pulse until he arrived at the hospital here in McMinnville.  Once they got him back, they sent him by helicopter back up to Nashville, where he had had the surgery.  His family arrived, and it didn’t look good.  His EEG and CT scans of the brain showed minimal brain activity.  The family elected to have him removed from life support.

Phil left us at 5:09pm Central Time on November 6th, 2007.  We held a visitation and funeral service here in McMinnville.  His body will be cremated and sent to Los Angeles.  His daughter, Taylor, will be with his brother Ted’s family.  His fiancee, Jackie, will be staying in McMinnville.

Three seconds.  That’s how long it took for him to go.  He showed no fear or pain or panic, so I have to believe he didn’t suffer.  It was just way too fast.  I loved him like a brother.  He gave me my chance, believed that I was a good writer, and we both together got Tenebrous rolling.

Phil, I don’t even have the words to describe the hole in my heart right now that goes straight through me.  But I know you aren’t in any pain anymore.