The AM Forum

Re, Brent Desautel, W1IA. Still fighting as of 1/31/2023

My friend, no best friend that whenever I had any fun since the late 70's, Brent was involved in. Brent came down with ALS about this time last year. People typically last around 18 months with this affliction. We built the largest 6 meter FM network in New England. You could drive from Portland to CT. and still talk. We built some big rigs, lots of antennas and made beer. Our record was making 45 gallons in one day! We built the first full color TV Repeater that was on Saddleback Mountain in Deerfield NH. We did a lot of radio and washed it down. Our beer, wine and Mead was responsible for our children.

Brent is still at the Nursing home where he had to go while his home was upgraded. He was sure he would not last the night last Sunday but his wife Colleen stayed with him and he woke up asking for a root beer.
Their house remodeling is finished. The Refrigerator & dishwasher were due in yesterday then the inspection should happen this week.
For those that don't know, their home had to be totally gutted and made wheel chair accessible. The VA did an outstanding job for him.
The issue was that should have been finished in September, contractors and building supplies.
Yesterday it was discovered that he was exposed to COVID. He was not yet tested and if he gets that, they will not let him come home.
Report just came in, No COVID.
Today Colleen has an appointment with the "Visiting Angels" outfit. She's going to need a shitload of help if Brent is allowed to go home.
He's very weak and no longer able to lift his arm to operate the wheel chair so his arm has to be placed for him to still use his fingers on the controls.
He can't eat ant regular food but lives on the super Ensure product only. He can still drink.
He just wants to make it home so he can go out on the deck, watch his birds, usually a flock of very tame turkeys and other critters that know they are safe with him.
With that, he will let go and be with Jesus. I happen to believe that totally.
Believe me, there are things worse than heart attacks and strokes.

Thanks very much for the update, Keith. Nicole and I are praying for Brent and Colleen.

Thanks for the update…Brent’s in my prayers all the time.  Glad to hear he’s going to be able to get back home soon.  I don’t know if has been able to listen to us on 75 meters, I often will give a shout out to him just in case he is.

Chris, AJ1G Stonington CT

Thanks Clarkie for the update…………
73,
MisterMike

Thank you, Keith. Please give Brent my regards when next you speak with him. I wanted to make the event at NEARFest for him but was dealing with my mom's declining health, getting her moved and all the rest. I have a lot of great memories of Fun with 'Tina as well, from wild Friday nights on 75m to operating the AM special event station at Hopkinton (while he was simultaneously trying to babysit Carl/'EYY)To story telling and more. One of the funniest that might bring a grin to him involved sitting around near Wayne/SSJ's table one evening making up 'interesting' phonetics for people's callsigns. He came up with one for Joe/'PJP that had everyone in stitches, followed by Tom/'JJ adding yet another that had Joe in a state of panic.

Let him know that, as bad as it gets, we still think of the good and hope he can, too.

Kindly give him my regards as well.

Tell Brent I am thinking of him.
Bill, KA8WTK

Here's a strapping Brent and the boys a few years back at the Deerfield NearFest.  At the time he was excited about building his new linear amp using a pair of Russian tubes.

Pictured left to right are:  Tom / K1JJ (Tom Vu) ,      Steve /  K4HX  (The HuzMan)       Joe / WA2PJP,      Brent W1IA  (Brentina)

Let's hope Brent gets in some quality time at his newly modified house.

T

Keith:

Thank you for the update. Tell Brentina we miss him, and have enjoyed his radio exploits. He sure went all in for the hobby and did a great job!

Dan
W1DAN

Worked Brent on 40 M CW on Christmas Day 2021.    We were both very surprised to find the other on cw, I have been awol on the window for a long time.    He really is a great guy and I feel bad for his travails.   We spoke later and he told me about the whole situation and all I can say is he has faced it with incredible bravery.   

Brent is back home. This is weekend #2 and he seems to like company. I spent the afternoon over there today. If your there Brent quiets down and listens to you. That lets Colleen get things done. I watched her build a Lasagna today and went home and made a batch myself!

Don't expect much. He can't move at all and cannot really communicate. He's under Hospice care and Colleen is getting quite a lot of help. This was not the retirement they envisioned.

If you can pray for him, pray this ends. This is the worst I have ever seen and I have seen a lot.

Keith

Keith,

You truly are a Godsend to Brent and Colleen.  I have fond memories of our barbecue together at Brent's back porch deck last summer.  We are praying for Brent, Colleen, you and the staff at Brent's QTH.
 
Tom and Nicole

It is with great sadness that I must tell you guys that Brent Desautel is a silent key. Brent passed away this afternoon at 3:15PM. He was in severe pain over the last year with ALS and the disease finally took him down. Brent reconnected with Jesus and is no longer in pain. Yesterday I asked my group at the local Methodist Church to pray that the lord takes him home and ends this. It is done. That's the first time I have had to make that request. I have made several requests by prayer in my life that I would consider the big ones God has answered those requests every time.
A lot of special memories. Anytime I did anything fun or stupid, Brent was there. There are only a few of us left.
Keith Clark
WA1HZK

Keith:

Thank you for the sad news. While Brent is no longer in pain, we will miss his strapping signal and his projects. I hope he enjoys no QRM and great signals in the sky.

God bless and RIP Brentina!

Dan
W1DAN

Brent is a good man and God will be good to him. I don't think Brent had a mean bone in his body. I never heard him get upset with anyone. I remember a situation where a certain person who had a lot of problems with alcohol wasn't in the best of moods and was somewhat critical of just about everyone. Brent saw that as a cry for help and drove from his home in NH to upstate NY to help the guy out. Yes, he would be there for you! Well that person is also an SK but while he was with us, Brent made quite a few trips from way over there in NH to upstate NY to build a new antenna system for him among other things.

Rest in peace Brent

 Brent was a “problem solver”..  An engineer at heart, he would analyze and research with humility about all he “learned” to construct some very interesting projects.
I sent him an e-mail not long ago, and his response ended with :

“I miss all my friends on the air. 
God Bless
Brent “

R.I.P. OM