I received a letter on Monday that Dr. Crates had passed away on December 28. I am so saddened by this news. He became my orthopedic doctor in 2000. He found the tumor, removed it and most importantly fix the gaping hole in my leg. If not for him, I would have lost my lower leg. He had no idea what he was getting himself into when he did my first surgery. But he never gave up and finally was able to resolve the issue. There is no way I can replace him. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. For twenty years he had been my pain management doctor and he completely understood what I was dealing with. He was only 54, so young. And he leaves behind 3 girls and a wife. I can sure understand the sadness his wife is experiencing. There are really no adequate words to convey my sorrow. It still seems unreal. I was in the office on December 16 and he wasn’t there but I was looking forward to seeing him in March. There are ways people touch our lives and we don’t really realize how deep until they are gone. I know I will always miss him. If something should go wrong with my ankle, I know I will wish he were around to fix it. You were an amazing doctor and person, John Crates, may you rest in peace.
Jane is a Widow 