Three years ago today, on May 5, 2010 we were forced to say goodbye to our beloved son Jean, brother of Jeremy and Sayra. Three years ago our lives were once again thrown into the path of despair, sorrow, and hopelessness. As a family we still can’t understand how and why both our boys were taken away.
Jean is missed today and everyday of our lives. We miss his daily calls and text messages, and all his funny stories. We miss hearing how he helped his fellow Vets at the VA Hospital, or how he was regularly asked to do a Sunday reading at the VA Chapel. Jean made friends easily and loved to talk to everyone … we deeply miss hearing his voice.
His memory lives on through his two beautiful sons, Nicholas and Mason. We miss the excitement in Jean’s voice in the way he shared stories about his sons. We loved the way Jean played and cared for his boys when he was with them… and witnessed the love that grew between father and sons.
It is heartbreaking to us that Jean has already missed so much. He is not here to know that Nicholas and Mason are both doing great in school. He is not here to know that Nicholas loves to read and play basketball, and that Mason scores the most goals on his soccer team. He has missed school and sports activities, birthdays and holidays with his sons. And although he has missed all those things, including holding and hugging his two little boys… we know that Jean’s spirit lives on. At times while visiting the boys we have seen Jean’s light shine through them.
As Jean was a Veteran of the Army 82nd Airborne Division, we honor Jean’s memory through the JSRF by selecting sons and daughters of Veterans and Military personnel to be recipients of the Foundation sponsorships.
Jean will be remembered at today’s 12:30 PM Mass at St. Francis de Sales Church. We once again ask you to remember Jean in the silence of your hearts and also say a prayer for his sons, Nicholas and Mason.
