Bob Arbuckle

The Will to make a difference

It happened 45 years ago but to Bob Arbuckle, it seems like yesterday. He was running hot water in the bathroom to heat up a bottle for his son, Rick, then 15 months old. He turned his back for a minute and…

“I heard him scream,” recalls Bob. Rick had reached into the scalding water to grab his bottle. By the time Bob pulled the toddler’s hands out of the water, there was such severe burning that the skin was literally falling off. Rick underwent eight operations and faced possible double amputation, but doctors at the former Civic Hospital managed to save his hands. Today, despite some nerve damage and a bit of scarring, this salesman has full use of his hands.

Bob will always be grateful for the care they received. So grateful that, in addition to his regular donations to The Ottawa Hospital, he decided to leave a legacy for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren by remembering the Hospital in his will.

“Although my bequest is modest, I know it was the right decision. I believe that every one of us can make a difference. By leaving a bequest, I am putting my beliefs into action.”