Many of you know that I have an adoptive family and a biological family. They’re both awesome and I’m forever grateful to have them in my life.
Ten months after my brother Robert “Robin” Workman – one of the three older full siblings I found in 2005 – passed away in Florida in January 2009 when he was just 61, his only grandson was born in northeast Oklahoma. His parents – Robin’s son Cory and wife Kaslyn, a retired Air Force hero deployed three times during the war on terror – named their baby after my late brother.
That amazing kid, my great-nephew, is now 15 years old, a high school freshman, goes by Robert, Rob, Robin – and is “Rob Dog” to his friends in Hominy, Oklahoma. He plays basketball and football and lovingly fills the role of protective big brother to sisters Jeralyn, 10, and Clementine, 8. He’s 6 feet tall, and with 6-3 and 5-10 parents, he’s surely on his way to at least 6-3. Although his grandfather was only about 5-8, he absolutely takes after him.
Kay and I drove five and a half hours to visit Rob and his family this past weekend. He joined several of his Hominy High School varsity basketball teammates as members of the homecoming court Saturday evening before the Bucks took on visiting Woodland. Unfortunately, Rob didn’t get to play, but his teammates used a strong fourth quarter to pull away for a 56-42 victory that gave the Bucks a remarkable 18-1 record. Rob also plays on the school’s junior varsity.
Rob’s mom Kas texted me tonight that the Bucks won again Monday but lost a road game today and are now 19-2. They’ll compete in the playoffs after one more regular-season game. The team’s head coach is also the school district’s superintendent.
It’s important to me, and to Kas and her son, that we have this relationship with my great-nephew. His father Cory, the youngest of my brother Robin’s two sons, tragically died of a drug overdose in 2015, and Cory’s brother Sean also did in 2018. Rob longs for a connection to his blood family, and I’m doing what I can to help.
His mom says Rob wants to keep the Workman name, which is awesome to hear. I would love it if he could meet his other great-uncle, my oldest brother Crys Workman in Colorado, who was also a basketball player growing up and will be 81 on Feb. 28 (the same day I’ll turn 64). Rob’s great-aunt Terry, my sister in Colorado, last saw Rob when he was about 3 years old. We’re hoping we can visit Rob and his family again this summer and bring our two young adult children this time.
Keep on being such a super kid, Rob. We are so proud of you. 😊 ❤
A Life of Words 