Last Saturday afternoon a Louisiana road was filled with a convoy of more than 25 18-wheelers, escorted by Lafayette Parish sheriff’s deputies. The procession brought traffic to a standstill. As the vehicles slowly turned onto University Avenue, cars pulled over and onlookers observed in reverent silence.
As the solemn convoy passed TA Truck Stop near the I-10 interchange, mournful blasts of air horns filled the air. The powerful sound, created by truckers in tribute of those lost, honored their memory with an unforgettable moment of remembrance.
This brotherhood of road warriors showed up to support the family and say goodbye to James “Bo” Duck who passed at the age of 58, having made his mark on this world by loving his family and living life behind the wheel of a big rig. The casket was part of the procession, secured to the bed of his son Brett’s Peterbilt.
“He started driving back in the ’80s and that’s all he did as long as I can remember,” said son Brett, who followed in his dad’s footsteps, taking to the road and the trucking way of life himself.
“That’s what he was doing when I was born. I was around it my whole life. The truck that I carried him on — that’s the one that I drive.”
After noticing that his dad hadn’t been feeling well, Brett Duck tells how the family finally convinced Bo to see a doctor on December 22.
“I noticed his skin color was starting to change and his legs were really swollen,” Brett Duck said. “But he’s just like me — he don’t like doctors.”
The family’s lives were forever changed when doctors found eight masses in Bo’s liver and some suspicious spots on his lungs. By December 23, he had a diagnosis – Stage 4 cancer.
“Thirty-one days later, he took his last breath,” Brett Duck said.
In the time between, all available options were examined. There were some consultations for chemotherapy and discussions on the likelihood of prolonging his life. In the end, it was clear that not much could be done to prolong his dad’s life and that quality of life should be prioritized for the time he had left.
“He was miserable; he was in pain. He said, ‘There’s no way I can go through treatment’.”
On a Monday night, while Brett was in South Texas, he called his mom to check in and it was clear that the time had come.
“He wasn’t doing good,” he said. “My mom said he wanted to call hospice.”
Brett headed for home, covering seven hours of roads to reunite with his loved ones in an emotional farewell at the bedside of their beloved father. His mother, Donna, twin brother, Tyree, and sister, Sarah had rallied around Bo during his final moments.
“He was ready,” Brett Duck said. “He had made peace with it.”
Brett honored his father’s memory in a unique way, giving him the farewell he deserved. Celebrating the life of an unconventional man, Brett organized a send-off that was far removed from tradition – honoring his dad with all of their favorite things and creating lasting memories for those closest to him.
“Back in 2015, the guy I drive for, who was like another dad to me, his brother passed away from cancer. He had a white metal plate built specifically to secure a casket to the back of a truck and that’s how he drove his brother to his funeral,” Brett Duck said. “Ever since that day, I knew that’s exactly how I wanted to send off my dad.”
Brett spread the word to friends and family, including many truckers he and his dad had bonded with over their years on the road.
“It’s like one big brotherhood, one big family,” he said. “Whenever you need something, you can always rely on one of them. They got your back no matter what.”
Knowing this, Brett was still in awe of how many showed up to say goodbye to Bo, and give him the send off he deserved.
“I was speechless when I saw all the trucks,” Brett said. One came from northern California, another from Savannah and another from Florida.
“I couldn’t believe that many came together for my dad, myself and the family,” he said. “All of them taking time out of their busy schedules, especially with the price of diesel these days. To do this for one person — it really meant a lot.”
While their hearts were heavy as they mourned the premature loss of Bo, the procession felt right to those who loved him.
“He gave me my first ride in a truck. It was only right that I give him his last ride.”
Source: The Acadiana Advocate
