Victor Hawkins, featured in a page 1 article in the July 31, 2005, issue of The Journal, died May 9th 2006 at a hospice facility in the Dallas, Texas, area.

The 2005 article had recounted Mr. Hawkins’ "Mercy Flight” from Long Beach, Calif., to Dallas, provided by Mercy-Med Flight of Fort Worth, Texas. Because of his deteriorating health, Mr. Hawkins, 53-year-old longtime Church God member, moved to Texas be near family members. Jane McConnell, his mother, notified The Journal of her son’s death and thanked this newspaper and others who had “touched Victor’s life.” “After his story [‘God Answers a Mother’s Prayer by Way of Mercy Flight’],” she said, “he received so many encouraging notes from the readers of The Journal. One was from former classmate and friend living in New Mexico who had lost all contact with Victor.”

Mrs. McConnell said the family donated Mr. Hawkins' body for medical and research purposes.