Dear Uncle Anthony,
It’s so hard to believe that you’ve passed. When I heard the news, I was getting myself and my daughter dressed to come and visit you. I was hopeful that we could have visited you at home and I’m so sorry that we missed our opportunity to say goodbye. As the eldest of your siblings, I venture to say you were the most adventurous – always encouraging of spontaneity and fun. I have so much gratitude that because of you, my family relocated to Florida when I was young and that shaped my life in just about every way possible. I may never have met my husband or have my daughter if it weren’t for you encouraging my parents to move to Dunedin.
Your vibrant personality was as big as your heart and we thoroughly enjoyed time spent in your presence. Thank you for being so caring of me and my family despite the physical distance between us. I know you checked in with my dad often as we learned that my daughter required surgery and it was so sweet of you and Sharon to send us a care package with baby clothes. I’m grateful to my dad that he always kept us well-informed of how you were doing and that he shared all of our latest pictures and videos with you. It made my heart happy to know that watching some of our silly videos could bring you a little bit of joy while you were in the hospital.
Our family has been shaken in this time of loss but we will band together in your remembrance as to never forget your thoughtfulness, infectious laugh and sense of humor, and your strength.
In my mind, you’ll always be laughing after a joke you just shared, having just cast off with the wind blowing in your hair at the end of Pier 60. We will miss you and think fondly of you often.
Love,
Erica, Michael, and Bellamie