Although years and distance kept us a part for much of our adolescent youth, Vinny has left an imprint on me that I think about every single day of my life. We were very close in age which is a realization that hits very close to home. After his passing, I read every comment people wrote on his Facebook Page, I looked through every picture I had from when we were small... there is a light in his smile that can change any ones bad day. He was a hero all the way through. People just gravitated to him and had every reason to.
I remember the very last time our entire family reunited for a day of debauchery. I will remember it always. We went to Atlantic City, started the day off just right, Harrah's Pool for some day drinking...(We are no strangers to some day time shots) We just did nothing but laugh all day with each other. The dynamic of us revolves around fun and love, and strength, and hope. I wish that day lasted forever. It was way too short. In my heart, I didn't believe that would be the last day I would ever get to spend with him. He was so happy and we were all so happy. I would have held on longer, a little tighter, and never let the party end.
There are things in life that are not fair. Things we cannot control. We look for reasons to blame everything we can in order to make sense of it. We choose to move forward and take all the love he left us and turn it into something special.
Cathy DeAngelo, has begun "A Meal From Vincent". Through this foundation, she not only keeps the memory of her son alive, but she carries out a plan to brighten up someones day in his honor. He was that kind of a person. There was no ray of light to dim. Light is light. That is the beauty of this program. It seems like such a small gesture, but you have no idea the lasting effects of making someone smile. Please read below as she tells the legacy he will be.
"As a lot of you know Vincent lost his 3 year battle with leukemia on April 13, 2012. He fought this battle long and hard. He was very brave and he was my hero.He had a stem cell transplant at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida and went through a clinical trial at MD Anderson Hospital in Texas.He spent most of his battle at Memorial West Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Florida. This truly was his "home away from home".
The oncology staff, nurses and doctors took such great care of him making him feel like he was their family. I can never thank them enough for this.He spent days, weeks, and months inside hospitals and always had a wonderful attitude. But my son had one complaint, Hospital Food. It's hard to eat hospital food day after day. Whenever he was having a bad day or didn't like anything on the menu or just needed a treat, I would go to get food from any of the outside food places near the hospital.
I was fortunate that I could provide this for him. Just the smell of the outside food would put a smile on his face and for a brief time he would forget that he was in the hospital and he would enjoy his meal.Unfortunately being treated for cancer puts a difficult financial strain on many patients. Most of them can't work and have many bills to pay and simply cannot afford to to get a meal from outside.
In Vincent's memory I would like to donate as many food gift cards to these cancer patients and I want them to get a treat away from hospital food. I know in my heart that Vincent would want us to do this. It will be called "A Meal From Vincent"
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Jess, you make me so proud..Vincent is smiling down on you..Thank God he had a cousin like you..Love you.
ReplyDeleteSo touching! It isn't easy opening up about something so personal and meaningful.
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