>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
CELEBRATE OUR DAD'S LIFE.
FRIDAY, MARCH 17 WE WOKE UP
THINKING IT WAS A TYPICAL
MORNING.
WE SET NORMAL GOODBYES AND I
LOVE YOU USE AS WE WALKED OUT OF
THE DOOR.
LATER THAT MORNING, THREE CALLS
CAME TO THE HOUSE PHONE FROM THE
CAPTAIN'S LINE.
WALKING INTO THE HOSPITAL IS A
SCENE I KEEP LYING OVER AND OVER
IN M HEAD AND IT NEVER SEEMS TO
GO AWA.
MY LIFELONG FEAR IS A FIREMAN'S
DAUGHTER BECAME TRUE.
I WAS FEARED THIS DAY WOULD COME
AS A LITTLE GIRL BUT I NEVER
ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BECOME
MY REALITY.
I AM NOW LIVING MY WORST
NIGHTMARE.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS HAVE
UNKNOWINGLY PREPARED US FOR THIS
DAY RAISING IS TO BE STRONG,
INDEPENDENT, LOVING AND CARING
CHILDREN.
MY MOM LOST HER DAD AT THE AGE
OF NINE AND MY DAD LOST HIS DAD
AT THE AGE OF FIVE IN HI
MONODY TO 12.
-- HIS MOM AT THE AGE OF 12.
WE MANAGED TO PULL TOGETHER AND
-- GENUINE, SINCERE, HUMBLE,
SELFLESS, KIND HUSBAND FATHER,
FRIEND, COWORKER AND MAN.
NOT HAVING A TRADITIONAL UP
RINGING ME TO HIM WHO HE WAS AS
AN ADULT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY AS
OUR DAD.
MY PARENTS NEVER LET THEIR
TRAGEDIES AS CHILDREN AFFECT
THEIR LOVING UPBRINGING OF US
FOR THE PAST 19 YEARS.
I CAN'T EVEN START TO DESCRIBE
THE MEMORIES WE HAVE WITH HIM AS
KI, TAKING TRIPS TO SOME OF
HIS FAVORITE PLACES LIKE
INCARNATION CAMP IN CONNECTICUT,
NEW HAMPSHIRE, LAKE MICHIGAN,
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, FIRE
HE LOVED ANYTHING OUTDOORS A
ANYWHERE WITH A BODY OF WATER.
HE WAS SO ADVENTUROUS AND WANTED
TO INSTILL THAT US.
WE DID NOT HAVE TO GO FAR TO
HAVE FUN.
WE WOULD HIK LOU HELLS, GO
FISHING ON BUCKMASTER POND,
KAYAKING, PADDLE BOARDING,
SKIING AND SOCCER AT THE
RANDOLPH FIELDS.
EVERY WEEKEND HE WOULD HAVE
SOMETHING PLANNED FOR █US.
WE WERE UP AND OUT OF THE HOUSE
AND SPENDING TIME TOGETHER.
AS BUSY AS MY DAD WAS BETWEEN
WORKING AT THE FIRE STATION,
REBUILDING HOUSES, CREATING
PROJECTS AND MAKING ARTWORK IN
THE BASEMENT HE WOULD FIND
PLENTY OF TIME TO SPEND WITH US.
SOMETIMES HE WOULD HAVE PATRICK
COME TO WORK WITH HIM TO BE ABLE
TO SPEND MORE TIME WH HIM OR
IT DIDN'T CLEAN GUTTERS TOGETHER
OR PATRICK WOULDO ELECTRICAL
WORK IN THE HOUSE MY DAD WAS
FIXING.
I WAS JEALOUS BECAUSE PATRICK
WOULD COME HOME MAKING SO MUCH
MONEY FOR A DAYS WORTH OF WORK
BUT MY DAD WOULD NEVER LET ME
COME WITH HIM.
MY DAD WOULD BE AT SOCCER GAMES,
LACROSSE GAMES, TRACK MEETS,
GYMNASTICS MEETS AND SURE
LEADING EVENTS THAT WE HAD AND
HE WOULD SUPPORT US AND CHEER US
ON WHILE TAKING AMAZING
PICTURES.
WEEKENDS WITH HIM WERE THE BEST
SINCE HE WAS ALWAYS BUSY ALL
WEEK.
IF HE WAS NOT WORKING AT THE
FIRE STATION ON A THURSDAY NIGHT
OUR FRIENDS WOULD COME OVER FOR
PIZZA NIGHT.
WE LOVE THAT PIZZA.
HE MADE TH BEST.
INSTEAD OF SAUCY WOULD USE OLIVE
OIL AND SPICES AND6 C13
>> MY DAD AND I SHARED A LOVE OF
COOKING AND I WOULD BE IN THE
KITCHEN WITH HIM STANDING BY THE
STOVE A READY.
I WOULD MAKE THE DESSERTS, WHICH
HE WOULD TASTE TEST FOR MEETS.
HE LOVED HIS SUITES.
HE ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE HE WAS
HAVING SO MUCH FUN WITH LIFE.
HE WOULD OFTEN TAKE HER TO GET
ICE CREAM AFTER SOCCER GAMES.
HE WAS ALWAYS THE ONE CALL IF
WE KNEW SOMETHING, BECAUSE THE
MATTER HOW BUSY HE WAS, HE WOULD
ALWAYS ANSWER THE CALL.
I DAD WOULD GO TO ALL OF HIS
GAMES.
ALL OF US LOVED TO BE ON OUR DAD
SIDE WHILE HE WORKED O HIS
SPECIAL PROJECT IN THE SHOP.
HE WOULD ALWAYS YELL AT ME
WITHOUT -- COMING DOWNSTAIRS
WITHOUT SHOES BECAUSE THE WOOD
CHIPS WOULD GET ALL OVER THE
HOUSE, BUT I DIDN'T CARE.
I WOULD LOVE TO WATCH THEM WORK.
IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS,
THE BOYS WOULD FOLLOW AROUND AS
MUCH AS THEY COULD.
>> JOEY D IN THE HOUSE, IS JUST
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID
WHEN HE CAME HOME.
>> BY TH WAS AN AMAZING
CARPENTER, A HUSBAND FISHER,
FRIEND, ARTIST, LIGHTSABER,
PHOTOGRAPHER, BROTHER, GARDNER,
AND DAD TO US.
AND TO EVERYONE THAT LOVED HIM.
HE WAS ALWAYS GET MAD AT US FOR
LEAVING OUR SOCKS AROUND THE
HOUSE.
MOSTLY ME.
[LAUGHTER]
I HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES OF
KAYAKING AND FISHING WITH MY
DAD.
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE WOULD GO OUT
THE LAKE REALLY EARLY TO
CATCH THE FISH.
I LOVED BEING WITH MY DAD, AND I
WILL CHERISH THESE MEMORIES
FOREVER.
WE ARE SO THINK TO HAVE A DAD
LIKE HIM THAT BLESSED OUR LIVES.
WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE FOR ALL
THAT HE DID FOR US.
WE WILL MISS HIM SO MUCH EVERY
DAY, BUT WE KNOW HE WILL BE
WATCHING OVER US AND BE IN OUR
HEARTS FOREVER.
I WOULD LIKE TO THINK ALL OF YOU
FOR THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE FOR
ALL OF US THE PAST FEW DAYS.
THIS WILL LAST FOREVER IN OUR
HEARTS, AND MINDS, AND SUSTAIN
US FOREVER, FOR THE REST OF OUR
LIVES.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]