The word “hero” rarely fits those you actually spend time with up close, but I use it often to describe Gene Logan. I have told Gene Logan stories to people all around the world.
Gene was somehow both tender hearted and tough as nails, and I loved and respected him deeply. At many times in my life, I made intentional decisions because I thought it was what Gene would do. I think they call that sort of person a role model. When it comes to Gene, I prefer hero.
Gene died yesterday. Although separated by miles and years, I feel the loss deep in my soul.
There are many stories, but the most dramatic come from our shared leadership experience in response to Hurricane Katrina twenty years ago. To me, Gene’s leadership was legendary, and I suspect the historic element of that natural disaster is why I associate Gene with the heroic.
It was Gene who said “let’s go” just hours after the worst of the storm had passed, and I followed him in the dark with a flashlight, defying curfew, climbing over rubble, smelling and hearing the gas from the ruptured main, searching for one of our church widows who had chosen to ride out the storm at home.
But the story that I have told the most, and the one that will forever be my living definition of leadership is something that he did unannounced, which was his leadership style. So many of us in our church community lost our homes, but Gene did not. His home was not far from our church’s building, which was our relief headquarters, and for those first few weeks after the devastation those of us who were freshly homeless bedded down on the floor each night alongside incredible volunteers who continually came to our rescue. One night I noticed that Gene was sleeping on the floor with the rest of us, too, and it occurred to me that not only did Gene have a perfectly fine bed a few blocks away, but he also had a bad back. If you knew Gene you would know that this is not the sort of observation that you share directly with him, so I went to his wife, Eileen, and wondered what he was thinking. Eileen said, “Oh, he said that he would not sleep in his bed until everyone in the church had a bed to sleep on.”
I get emotional thinking about that every time, but especially today. If ever a single action defined a person — defined a leader — defined a hero — that is it for me. How wonderful to have someone in the world that will be with you in your worst moments and refuses to leave your side until your worst moments have passed.
And how sad that the someone who showed that to me isn’t with us anymore. It is his turn to rest, although I can’t see that making him happy, but I trust that somehow his extraordinary love will be rewarded on whatever is on the other side of this life.
Thank you, Gene. For everything.
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