Ill ex-teacher taken to see Rush in Hershey

Intelligencer Journal

Published: Jul 18, 2008
02:03 EST

Hershey

By PATRICK BURNS, Staff

For more than a quarter-century, Pat Burns' main passion was to motivate his sixth-grade industrial arts students at Manheim Township Middle School to express abstract words, thoughts and feelings in visual forms.

But during that time as a teacher, cut short when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Burns never fully cultivated another burning passion: rock 'n' roll.

Burns, 63, has spent decades listening to recordings of rock legends like the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Led Zeppelin, but never witnessed classic rock musicians performing in a live concert.

But that was all about to change Thursday afternoon when Burns left his fifth-floor room at the Glen at Willow Valley to board a van headed for Hersheypark Stadium to see Rush, the legendary Canadian power trio, in concert. He was accompanied by a Willow Valley staff member, nurse and caregiver.

"All my life I wanted to see a rock concert, but I guess other things seemed to always get in the way," Burns said. "This is my dream."

Burns, one of the youngest residents at the retirement community, is a native of western Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S Navy from 1965 to 1969 before following his future wife to Millersville University and eventually deciding on a career in teaching.

He taught at Manheim Township Middle School from 1972 to 1998 and raised two daughters before moving to Willow Valley six years ago. He jams in his room each morning to rock music from the 60 CDs stored in his stereo.

"I've become a blues and rock guy pretty much," Burns said. "Rock is my foundation, but I'll sneak in some Sarah McLachlan from time to time."

Though not especially familiar with Rush, Burns began listening to the group's music last week when he learned he would be going to the show.

Ursula Caldwell, recreation therapy supervisor at the Glen at Willow Valley, helped arrange the concert trip for Burns, whose illness requires constant attention.

Caldwell runs Dream Catcher, a Willow Valley program similar to Make-A-Wish Foundation. It helps fulfill the wishes of long-term patients. Burns had three previous concert trips canceled because of his poor health, she said.

"This is a unique Dream Catchers wish. Most wishes are simpler, like requests to go to a restaurant in Maryland to get a crab cake," Caldwell said.

During a recent interview, Burns lamented the end of his teaching days. He lost the use of his hands five years after being diagnosed with MS in 1993. An impassioned teacher, Burns loved to see kids "create art from working with different tools and materials."

Burns probably delved deeper into artistic expression than most shop teachers. One of his favorite lessons was to ask 12-year-old students to pick out a single word or write a short story or poem, and then convey its meaning through photography.

Burns served as a radar specialist on the destroyer USS Lowry and other ships during the Vietnam War. Though artists performed concerts for the military during that time, Burns never saw one.

"We were on the ship all the time," Burns said. "Didn't see port much."

But Burns' long drought in witnessing live rock ended at 7:45 p.m. Thursday when Rush drummer Neil Peart pounded out the opening of "Limelight." As Geddy Lee's voice pierced the humid evening air, Burns nodded to the beat.

"Some things in life are worth waiting for," Burns said.

E-mail: pburns@lnpnews.com