Imagine if you had the chance to warn others about a bad decision you made in your own life – that you truly regret, and hope that your loved ones won’t repeat.
That’s exactly what happened to Geoffrey Turner when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He decided to pen his own obituary, with his family unaware until after his passing. Turner used it as an opportunity to warn others not to make the same mistake.
You can read his heartfelt message below.
Geoffrey Turner’s Handwritten Obituary
“I was an idiot who made the same stupid decision, day-after-day, multiple times per day. I was a smoker and even though I knew it may eventually kill me, I chose to deny the truth to myself. The pain and suffering I caused my family was not worth the perceived “satisfaction” that really did nothing more than waste money, separate me from my family, and eventually destroyed my body.
I did many good things, helped lots of people, and even made a decent living. At 66 years old, I lived a decent life, but there are so many events and milestones I will not be able to share with my loved ones. The moral of this story – don’t be an idiot. If you’re a smoker – quit – now – your life depends on it and those that you love depend upon your life.
I am survived by Josie Turner, the best wife/nurse/ friend I never deserved; my loving kids, John “Jay” (Mariana) of Centerville, Ga., Shawn, Peter (Glorimar) of San Mateo, Calif., Sarah (Robert) Huiest, and Alexis; four fantastic grandchildren, Alexander, Jacob, Dumitru, Paulina; and my brother Ted (Barbara) of Deptford, N.J.
My brother Ted is five and a half years older than I am, and even though I never stood a chance we competed at everything. Jim, John, and Frank, play the next round as a threesome rotating my shot between you guys. Remember, life is good – don’t let it go up in smoke.”
Turner’s Legacy
Geoffrey’s daughter had this to say when questioned by TODAY about what her father wrote:
“My father prided himself on his many entrepreneurial ventures, various business successes, and world travels,” she said. “Those are the things I expected to read in his obituary.
I never expected it to be what it was and it is this single act from his life that I am most proud of. Someone told me he was changing his legacy with this obituary, and I couldn’t agree more.”
