Dying WWII vet, determined to vote, casts ballot from hospital bed

Doctors diagnosed 93-year-old World War II veteran Frank Tanabe with an inoperable cancer tumor in his liver two months ago. He’s been in hospice care for the past three weeks at his daughter’s home. His condition has been deteriorating, and he’s been speaking little lately.

He’s been determined to vote regardless, eagerly asking when the ballot would be arriving in the mail, his daughter said. She kept telling him, “don’t worry, it’s coming.” He filled it out immediately when it landed in the mailbox on Wednesday.

Barbara Tanabe read aloud the names of the candidates to her dad. He either nodded “yes” to the names or shook his head “no.” She filled in the boxes on his behalf, following his instructions even when he didn’t pick the people she wanted.

“There were some that were OK, but there were others where I said, `Dad, are you sure?”’ she said. But he knew what he was doing. He’s kept up on the issues, reading newspapers regularly until only recently, she said.

October 22, 2012, 7:22pm / 28