A final visit to Yosemite reawakens man's memories just before passing

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Yosemite National Park is a place beloved by many, including 85-year-old San Diego native Frank Hoole, who had been visiting for 79 years.

Frank had been going regularly since he was six years old and even honeymooning there with his wife, Leanne.

"He loved everything about Yosemite. He felt like it was home. He loved being there," Frank's daughter-in-law, Cathey Armillas said. "In his 79 years, he went there many times. He just felt like it was home."

After multiple strokes and advancing dementia, some of Frank's memories were getting blurry. But, when he and his family visited the park in August of last year, his condition seemed to improve.

"We were there for three nights, four days, and it was like he came back alive; it was wild," Armillas recalled.

He even began to tell stories of his previous Yosemite trips.

"He talked about when he climbed Half Dome. We were talking about that, and he did it twice, and we were like, 'What?! You did it twice?!'" Armillas said.

With all his experience, his family convinced him and Leanne that they had to become Junior Rangers.

"As many years as you've been going here, you could probably tell some of the rangers about some of the areas that you've been in that maybe they haven't seen yet," Armillas explained.

Although Frank couldn't write anymore, he still enjoyed the activities and exploration.

Soon after, Ranger Brendan swore in the couple as two proud and excited Junior Rangers.

"He loved it. It was really cute because he was trying to follow along," Armillas remembered. "He started tearing up, and he's like, 'I've been coming here. I'm 86, I've been coming here 80 years,' and Leanne goes, 'You're 85, Frank,' and he goes, 'I'm 86.' He wasn't quite; he would've been 86."

Unfortunately, Frank's health took a turn for the worse on the way home from the trip. He passed a short time later, surrounded by family, at his daughter's house in the Bay Area.

Becoming a Junior Ranger was one of the last things Frank ever did. Now, his family cherishes their memories with him and the park.

"He loved Yosemite, but Yosemite loved him back," Armillas said.