A DOCTOR wrote about walking with his wife in heaven before allegedly being killed by an NFL pro.
Doctor Robert Lesslie, 70, died alongside his wife Barbara Lesslie, 69 and grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5 on Wednesday.
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Defensive back Phillip Adams was named by the Associated Press as the suspect.
Adams reportedly shot himself after gunning down the family in South Carolina.
A fifth victim, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found dead outside. Authorities said he had been working at the home when he was shot.
A note was published onto the doctor’s Facebook page following the news of his death, providing “words that he recently wrote” before he “passed into glory.”
“One day, when I depart this body and find myself in the presence of the Lord, my time, however it will be measured, will be filled with the praises and the wonder of Jesus,” the note began.
“I know that I will once again be able to hug my mother and walk and talk with my father. There are a lot of people I want to see as well—family and friends, grandparents, some of whom I never met on this side.”
The chilling note went on to mention walking with his wife, who died alongside him yesterday, in heaven.
“We have no idea what Heaven will look like, only that it will be perfect,” he wrote.
“And because of that I know that one day, when I’ve experienced the presence and joy of that surrounding host of saints, I will find myself walking with Barbara in a field of lush, green grass, surrounded by gently rising conifer-cloaked hills.”
The post appeared to initially be published on the doctor’s blog just months ago, on December 9.
York County Sheriff’s Office’s spokesperson Trent Faris said a sixth person was hospitalized with “serious gunshot wounds.” Their condition is unknown.
Faris said deputies were called to the area around 4.45pm to the home in the Rock Hill area.
“We are shocked that this type of incident happened here,” Faris said.
“It doesn’t happen here. It’s one of those strange things that a lot of people are going to have a hard time understanding and we just hope that everybody understands that we’re going to do everything we can to try to figure out why this happened here in Rock Hill, South Carolina.”
The sheriff’s office spent hours searching for the suspect before finding him. It’s unclear when the suspect was found.
Faris said Dr. Lesslie was a prominent figure in Rock Hill.
“I’ve lived in Rock Hill my entire life and Dr. Lesslie was my doctor growing up,” Faris said.
“Dr. Lesslie has been one of those people that everybody knows. He started Riverview Medical Center in Rock Hill and it’s been a staple in Rock Hill for years.”
A biography page of Dr. Lesslie said he and his wife of 35 years raised four children.
Dr. Robert Lesslie has been practicing in Rock Hill since 1981, according to the Riverview website.
He received his degree at the Medical University of South Carolina and has worked in the surrounding Rock Hill area and Charlotte, North Carolina.
