Dad- March 7 2008
I know exactly what will be on your mind today. And I want you to know he’s on my mind too. Uncle Tom was an amazing uncle to me, John and Bill. And I know how much you cared about him. I hate to see you down like you have been in the past, and I never really know what to say about it all. I miss him a whole lot and wish that he could be here with us everyday. Your strong dad, cause I have no idea what I’d do if I lost you, mom, John or Bill, you guys aren’t just my family but my best friends. I know I don’t say it nearly enough but I love you all so much. Uncle Tom is with us all everyday and every second of the day. He’s there rooting us on everyday telling us everything will be okay. He was a loving brother, uncle, husband, friend, and true heart NASCAR fan. I will never forget the sleepovers I had there when you and mom would go away for a weekend or so, He had me convinced that the boogieman lived in they’re attic. I will never forget that he was the reason how I finally learned how to tie my shoes, or when the car blew up and Aunt Kathy had to borrow someone’s car to come get me and the boys at school. I won’t forget the long car rides up to New Hampshire and the long weekends we’d spend up at Cold Springs, and the hours it took to set up tents, even in the pouring rain. The can crusher on the tree. The late night fires with S’mores and speeding over the speed bumps on the golf cart. I will never forget our wonderful birthdays, from beauty and the beast cakes, to clowns coming and doing wacky make-up. I always bragged to kids at school how my birthday was the same as my uncles, and I still do. Mostly I won’t forget the last few months. Over hearing you and mom talking about how Uncle Tom had gone to the hospital all one day cause he hadn’t been feeling well lately. I won’t ever forget stopping by Uncle Tom and Aunt Kathy’s house and you going inside and coming back out in tears. The car ride home I couldn’t bear, as soon as I saw you face I instantly thought of the worst. And then you had said it, Uncle Tom had gotten cancer. I remember calling him on our birthday that year, January 27th, 2005 telling him to get better soon cause I never got to see him anymore and that I missed him a whole lot, and that I loved him and he responded that he was trying the best he could to get better and that he loved me a lot. I remember crying that night before I fell asleep from being so afraid and confused. Then weeks started feeling longer, and everyone was always visiting, I was always over hearing the statement “this may be his last..” and then the day came. March 7th, 2005. Coming home from school wondering how everything was going, and just hearing the news. I couldn’t believe what had happened. I had myself convinced that he was going to fight through it, that everything was going to be okay. And it wasn’t, he was gone and he wasn’t coming back. I remember standing in the living room watching Bill come up the drive way with no idea, running out and hugging him, both of us coming inside and crying in the living room. The wake followed shortly after, as I stared at his body and I just realized there was nothing I could do to bring him back. I remember standing in the other room watching the slide show with you and seeing all the great memories we had all had with him and not being able to handle looking at the picture of me and him on my 5th birthday with the crazy clown make-up. He’s in a better place now, away from harm and in no more pain. He’s happy there and doesn’t want us to remember him in tears or anger but in happiness and laughter. It’s been a tough three years but I am always
thinking about Uncle Tom. Every birthday he’s missed, every Christmas, every New Hampshire trip. I didn’t know that the last time that I said goodbye to him would mean forever. He is our guardian angel now, the sweet sound in the wind, the crashing of the waves, the hot sun to our day, the melody of life. And even though we may not be able to hear him, or see him, He’s near. He’s listening to what we have to say and is missing us as much as we all miss him. Stay strong Dad. I love you so much, you mean the world to me.
Your daughter,
Rachael
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