During our early days at Bethel, GB member Grant Suiter fell in his bathroom, hit his head on the edge of the tub, and was completely paralyzed. He could only move his eyes, but could hear and comprehend everything going on around him. The nurses had to care for him like they would a baby. I think he lived for about six months after the accident.
Suiter wasn't replaced and remained a GB member until his death. One-time poster here, Maximus, a former Bethelite and CO, told us how Suiter came to a city, it seems to me was Baltimore, Maryland, on WT business where Maximus was a CO. Suiter called Maximus a few days earlier and invited him to lunch. Much to his surprise, they met at one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. Maximus was not happy about this because he was CO in one of the poorest sections of the city and it seemed to him to be out of order for them to eat at that place while JWs in his territory lived in extreme poverty.
During lunch, Suiter, the overseer of the Treasury Department, pulled out of the pockets of his very expensive suit, jewelry that he asked Maximus to make an offer on. Maximus had no money. He came into the circuit work right out of Bethel and he was incredulous at Suiter’s cavalier attitude.
Maximus said he saw lots of very fine jewelry during that lunch which Suiter had just thrown in different pockets. While he displayed gold chains, diamond rings, etc., he complained how he was constantly trying to get rid of the stuff that was willed to the Society by JWs. That’s why he was there, to sell jewelry at outlets. Even the flashy rings Suitor wore on his fingers were part of the loot. This experience was one that disgusted Maximus so much that it contributed towards his leaving the organization
Before his accident, I saw Suiter around and he was a lot like Jaracz, wouldn't give an ordinary Bethelite the time of day. So when he had his accident, there wasn't too much sympathy expressed. He certainly was not a beloved figure like Jack Barr was, but we felt sorry for him ending up a helpless vegetable. But years later when Maximus told us his tale about Suiter's expensive suits and the jewelry, I thought that he deserved to be helpless for six months before he died only able to watch life pass him by until he breathe his last breath.
I judge no one but this man seemed to be so callous. From other stories I had heard, his interests were not especially spiritual and did not rest with concerns for the flock while he benefited so much from their labors. Considering the way he died, perhaps there is justice after all.
