I was saddened to hear that Ben Davol, died during the "Closer to Free Ride," "Local political strategist dies during charity event," (Sept. 9). Those happenings are devastating. I empathize with the Davol's families and friends. I did not know Davol, but I, too, thought very highly of Senator John McCain and can easily accept that Davol was truly a "champion of the political process."

My wife, June, died in a local hospital hospice unit about a month and a half after a cancerous mass was detected during a routine bowel x-ray at that hospital. At that time she was and had been under the care of a Smilow neuro-oncologist for about nine months with no cancer detected. Indeed, even during a later period in June's Smilow Hospital care, the neuro-oncologist insisted that a requested complete body scan was "not indicated," a phrase etched in my memory. He even argued strongly against performing such a scan. It may have been too late by that time, but we never really know.

Also etched in my memory is the phrase "Closer to Free," for when I whenever I hear it, it recalls sad memories; to me, it means, "The patient is dying and is getting closer to death". June is indeed "Totally Free"; she is dead.

George Anderson

Old Lyme