Michael

I received two emails from my neice this week, and they were both regarding her brother, Michael. Just to refresh you guys out there in blog land, this is my nephew who passed away a little less than a month ago. The first email was a web address that a very close family friend sent to her, it is a webpage that is a memory page for my nephew. The address is:

www.geocities.com/ooobansheeoo/formichael.html

Please check it out, it is nicely done, and a wonderful tribute to a wonderful young man and his family.
The second email was a picture of Michael, taken 3 days before he died, with his nephew, Ryan. It is a beautiful picture, as it shows a smiling young man, happy to be spending time with the little guy. Rychelle says that they were so close, and that they shared a special bond. I am glad that he had that bond to the "next generation." He left his mark with Ryan.
I wrote my small tribute to Michael, quickly, and without too much planning. I didn't have the time or the heart to really write what I felt about his passing. I was afraid at the time that I would burst into tears and not ever be able to stop. I know that I wasn't as close to Michael when he was a youngster, but, I was always proud that he ws my nephew. He was never mean or nasty to me, he was always quiet. He was a smiling happy baby, and he liked to be held. He had great hair as a youngster, my son Patrick, has that kind of hair. Thick and wavy, grows too fast to keep it cut neatly. I guess that is why Michael kept it so shaved!
The thing that I do remember and will always cherish, is that Michael was always kind to those he met. He really was great with my kids, he wrestled with them and really had fun. He laughed when they were silly. He made a lasting impression on them. (The boys, I mean)
Michael asked me to do a reading at his wedding. That impressed and gladdened me, it moved me to tears when he asked. Then when he sent the Scripture to me, via email, I cried some more, it was the same one that was read at my wedding. My favorite Scripture reading. "Blessed are the ......" you all know the rest.
I remember when I was married for a while and living in Westhampton, and Patrick was very small. There ws a Basketball Tournament in Southampton. Michael and his team were playing, and Marge met us in the High School in Southampton. Tc was there too. It was really cool watching the game, knowing that my nephew was the kid there on the court.
I remember that he graduated from college. Jamestown Community College. He overcame learning problems to graduate from college! It was a happy and a sad day that day. He graduated the day we burried my Dad. Margaret was torn, she wanted to be at the funeral, but needed to be with her son. In the end, she chose her son, which was the exact thing she should have done, the right thing. My father would have understood why she didn't see him burried, he would have wanted her to be with Michael. Thank God she made the choice to see her son graduate. He knew that she would always be there for him. She always was, somehow some way Margaret was.
I think that is enough for now. I can hardly see the keyboard or the words that I write on the screen.I'm saddened about losing him, before I ever got to say how proud I was that he ws my nephew. I did get to tell him that I loved him, in Pennsylvania, when he drove down with Margaret to see Daniel pitch. I did tell him to call us if he needed to, but I guess he felt safe and secure with Margaret. Thank GOD he had her.
Marge said it was worth the 25 years, I think so too. Without Michael, life would have been different. We carry him with us and that is what we have to be thankful for. His smile is always there, we just have to look a little harder for it.
I LOVE YOU MICHAEl. I AM PROUD THAT YOU ARE(NOT WERE) MY NEPHEW! I hope that you hear me, and know that I too miss you.