Eleven years ago on a Sunday morning before the Oscars I stood in the doorway of Larry

Norman’s bedroom and watched as he flew away from this planet to another land. A 

while later Larry’s son, Michael and his mom, Sarah came over and laid on each side of

Larry’s body.  I first met Mike late one night twenty years

earlier when I moved to North Hollywood in the apartment beneath Larry and Charles. One

night around midnight I heard the doorbell ring. I looked out the window and there was

Larry sitting on the steps. I opened the door to hang out or pray with him and found a little

three year old below me holding out his arms. I bent down and Mike hugged me

around the neck resting his head on my

shoulder.  I looked at Larry who was chuckling and introduced me to his son, “Mike this is

Flemmingway.” Two years later when Mike turned five he became friends with Jesus like

his father.

 

In Larry’s final days I prayed with him, read to him the red words in the Bible, talked to him

about his life, sang Beatles songs and more than anything we talked together to Jesus.

Every couple of hours I would cut up a Pink Lady apple for him, cool it in ice cubes and

then feed him little slices. Larry always thanked me and complimented me on how I had

prepared the fruit. Even in such horrifying pain Larry remained thankful and complimentary

to his friends and family. While Mike and Sarah were weeping beside Larry’s body on the

bed and  the rest of the family filled the room I left and  went into the kitchen. In the

refrigerator I found the apple I had cut up for Larry that morning, eight slices. There were

seven people in the bedroom and I was in the kitchen. When I told them about the eight

slices we all shared an apple communion together. Mike swallowed his slice with his

head on my shoulder.

 

Eleven years later nearly everything in my life has turned upside down. But Mike Norman,  

like his father did for thirty years, remains one of my closest friends. He and his wife,

Tiffany, help the orphans of Eden like me just as Larry did back in the day.