A Celebration of Rich: Tributes

[ifyoucantfixit]

Thanks for posting Janice. I was starting to get a complex about the poem that I posted. 

        You need never feel a complex,  about anything.  You are an inspiration and a role model for all of us.  We just say "what would Lee do." 

[CellarDweller]

I have these two pics side-by-side in my cube.

Thinking about you, Rich......a day doesn't go by where you don't cross my mind in some way.

[Front-Ranger]

Chuck, he's still giving us that dozy embrace, in spirit!

[Mandy21]

Drove over yesterday from Missouri into Kansas thru KC.  Was driving along for a couple hours, out into the wilds of nowhere, and finally, the sunflowers appeared.  They were everywhere, and I got such a warm, fuzzy feeling that Rich was looking over from the side of the road, smiling and shining.

[bizzysmom]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to log on and say Hi.  Our life is pretty crazy right now.  Elizabeth is struggling in school and with personal issues and I think she is coming to terms with what has happened.  I am feeling much stronger nowadays and am working very closely with her. We do hours of homework together every night.  (I didn't like school the first time around )   We are having a hard time in several areas however; we are two strong girls and will make it through this.  She and I always had a strong bond but it is much tigher now.  There is no way Richard would want me to break down.  Elizabeth was our world and I will do everything in my power to make sure she grows up just as we had always planned. 

We are working on our Halloween custome.  She has picked out several things but I hve to remind her she is 12 - some of these customes are NOT appropriate.  Richard use to always say he wanted to put a brick on her head to stop her from growing up.  I'm thinking about a big huge cement block! 

I hope everyone is doing well.   Thank you for your support, kindness, prayers and e-mails.

Marcia

[Mandy21]

Hi, Marcia, thanks for letting us know how you and Bizzy are doing.  Everyone here appreciates hearing from you!

In terms of what's going on, I don't know if either of you has ever lost anyone close to you before, but I can tell ya, there's definitely a point in time after the passing and after all of the details are sorted and after the funeral and after the condolences and after the immediate repercussions once everybody's gone, etc., that the strong person you HAD to be, must go back to being who they were before their loss.  It kind of scared me, but didn't surprise me, to read the posts about how strong and positive Bizzy was during Rich's memorial weekend.  It's perfectly normal for the fallout of all that to appear and to present itself in various ways as time goes on -- some of them more positive than you could have imagined, and some of them not so much.

You're a good mom, and you've been through soooooo much in the last few years.  Reach out to your friends and family, and to us, whenever you need a little booster shot for all that strength you've got.  People on here, they build you up whenever you're scared of falling.

Be good to yourself, Marcia.  We love you!

P.S.  Gave me a huge giggle to read what Rich said about stopping Bizzy from growing up. 

[bizzysmom]

Hi Mandy,

Thanks for your support - your notes have always been so kind.  Today has been a hard day for me.  Elizabeth is at a friends so I didn't need to be strong for a little while so I just lost it.  It's the first time I have been able to in a long time.  Even though we were divorced, we will still good friends and I miss him SOOOOO very much.  He was always there to pick me up when I was down - I'm down now and he isn't here to pick me up.  I haven't lost someone close to me like this before.  I have lost family but they were older, sick, struggling with a disease, etc....  I haven't lost someone close to me in an accident like this and it's just unreal.  I just can't believe he isn't here.  20 years with this person and he is gone.  Our relationship wasn't like most divorced people.  We knew we would be together for life because of Elizabeth.  I look at Elizabeth and wonder how do I do this and make sure she remembers everything - despite our differences, he was a wonderful person with a heart of gold.  As you can tell, I'm still grieving very much tonight.  I do every night but I can let it out tonight.  I am lost without him but I'm so afraid for Elizabeth.  I just want her to be a happy girl, remember all the good times and have a long happy life.  I love her more than anything in this world and it just hurts me to see her hurt or sad. 

Ok - I better log off for the night.  I don't want to bring anyone down.  Just please continue to send prayers to my daughter. 

Marcia

[Lynne]

I just realized something that feels a little bit bittersweet.

I have been taking the #76 bus to work for almost 20 months.

Over this past weekend, I realized that I know to press the "Next Stop Needed" button when I hear the Wilson Road announcement; it is the stop before mine.

I like having this almost daily reminder of him.  I will take a photo next chance I get.

Perhaps of some interest is that this bus route goes through Lexington, MA, and the road would be the one to get to Concord, where the 'shot heard round the world' was fired, eventually leading to US independence.

I think Rich would have liked that.

[Kelda]

I think he would have too.

I just realized something that feels a little bit bittersweet.

I have been taking the #76 bus to work for almost 20 months.

Over this past weekend, I realized that I know to press the "Next Stop Needed" button when I hear the Wilson Road announcement; it is the stop before mine.

I like having this almost daily reminder of him.  I will take a photo next chance I get.

Perhaps of some interest is that this bus route goes through Lexington, MA, and the road would be the one to get to Concord, where the 'shot heard round the world' was fired, eventually leading to US independence.

I think Rich would have liked that.

[bizzysmom]

Just a note to say HELLO-

Elizabeth finished her first quarter and despite everything going on in her world - she got all A's and B's.  I'm so proud of her and I know her dad would be too.  We talk about him every day - sometimes smiling and some times crying.  We both miss him very much - more then anyone will understand.  My heart just breaks for Elizabeth but she is a tough little cookie and will be a much stronger little girl - she came into this world a fighter!  She absolutely knows how much she is loved - by mom and dad!  I tell her all the time.


***Mandy - I got your message and will get in touch soon - I can't say much on here anymore***