Family Photo, December 24,2003: Stevie, wearing a plaid shirt, is standing in the back row. Ronnie,wearing a blue shirt, is second from right in the back row. Seated in the second row, left to right, are Emily, Jason, Maureen, Milt and me.
Dear Stevie,
I look up at the murky sky today
And what do I see?
There you are, my son
From behind a voluminous cloud
Looking down and smiling at me.
When I was told eleven years ago
That you had suddenly died
I searched everywhere for my first-born son
I couldn't find you
No matter how I tried.
A dear eight-year-old girl
Your niece and my granddaughter
Emily
Put her head on my shoulder and held my hand
She wanted so much to comfort me.
"Don't worry Nana," she said
"You'll never be apart
Uncle Stevie is always with you
He lives in your heart."
Later, Emily talked about her Communion
She named everyone who would be there
"My Mom and Dad, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins
And you,"
Then she whispered,
"Uncle Stevie will be there too."
Stevie, your wife Maureen
Has become my daughter
And Matt and Evan -- your gifts to me
Matt's wife Jill, at their wedding said,
And this is true,
"I didn't have a Grandma, but now I have you."
Pictures of you are with me
At home with me every day
Your photographs keep me company
And you will never go away.
In the not-so-distant future
We'll be together again, this too is true
And I'll sing along with the angels
"Happy Birthday dear Stevie, Happy Birthday to you."
