Three weeks ago, when Vic Hauser (a student from the Winedale Summer of 1983) was diagnosed with pneumonia, I and those of us from Winedale-'83 who came to know Vic in his latter years thought that this was going to be just another health problem where he and his hospital doctors and nurses would once again do battle to get a medical handle on it. Vic would then return to his beloved Co-op apartment complex in Austin, and soldier on as he had done so often in the past.
In fact, at various times in the last 5 to 8 years, Vic had managed to survive a host of ailments, such as diabetes, throat cancer, lupus, and two cases of pneumonia. He also avoided getting Covid 19 or any of its variants. Vic definitely had a strong will to live.
Unfortunately, this time Vic's luck ran out. This time he was not going to win his struggle with his third case of pneumonia, for it was ultimately diagnosed as being terminal by his Austin doctors..
So after giving the matter serious thought and realizing that being trapped in a hospital bed connected to multiple tubes and bags was no way to live, Vic willingly agreed to transfer to the hospice at Christopher House in Austin. It was a brave decision. Six days later Vic's suffering and multiple battles with his chronically compromised health came to an end. He died peacefully on a Friday night, August 12, 2022.
Given his host of health issues, Vic was never strong enough to make the long trek from Austin out to Winedale to see a play. However in 2018, Vic, along with Winedale friends Clay Stromberger, Steve Price, and myself, made a car trip to Shakespeare at Winedale to visit Director James Loehlin's summer class, which on that day was in the throes of rehearsal. Before the rehearsal began, James asked the class to sit down on the stage in the Barn, and then introduced Vic (Previously, Vic had asked James - another Winedale-'83 alum - for an opportunity to speak briefly to the class). Standing before them, Vic very simply told the students that they may not realize it at that moment, but what they were going through at Winedale that summer was a unique and very special experience, that it would unlikely come again, and that they should take full advantage of every minute while they were there. Now more ever, this was the time to seize the day. Vic spoke a little more and then sat down.
Vic didn't have money to give donations to Winedale - he just had enough money to live on. But he wanted very much to give something back to Shakespeare at Winedale that had given so much to him and for one summer uplifted his life. And going to Winedale and addressing the summer class was his way of giving back. Of course, Vic's message to the students was absolutely true and something that could never be said enough. And in his own quiet but serious way, Vic made his point very powerfully.
David Sharpe
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