Uncle Seb

Our Uncle Eusebio passed away last week. He lost his battle to pancreatic cancer. He gave it a good fight and did a few rounds of chemo and had surgery. He refused to give up and refused to accept this would be the end for him. Our Uncle was our Dad's older brother. He was in great health up until last summer. He was a sweet kind man. Growing up, we saw him and our Aunt every Sunday at mass. We would see our older cousins running track on our walk home from grade school. They lived a few miles from us. My Dad's been sick a long time and my Uncle helped us take care of him. I remember when I first had Ava, we would go and sit with my Dad and my uncle would show up to take my Dad to a movie. This last December when my Dad had his stroke, I called my Uncle to tell him. He told me he was having chemo so I tried to get off the phone, he told me wait I need to know everything and as I told him, he weeped. It was hard to hear my uncle so upset. It broke my heart to think of him sitting through chemo crying over my dad and my dad fighting for his life down the hall. My Dad's always been the sick one and I don't think any of us expected my Uncle to pass first. After chemo, he would still come over and sit in the living room with my dad. Unfortunately, both he and my dad were very sick this past hospital stay for my dad. My Uncle wasn't able to leave his home but he called my Dad every day. This time, my Dad got to go to his home and visit him. From what I was told, they had a beautiful talk about life, death and spirituality. My Uncle died hours after he and my dad said good bye. Sadly, my dad was hospitalized again and he had to miss his brothers funeral. The services were nice but now the reality is here we are all trying to deal with. How do we go on? My Uncles wife and youngest granddaughter, are really suffering. My Dad is really torn up and I can't imagine this world without our uncle. He was a real blessing. My friend sent me this and it helps and my hope is that death is not the end.

"Little knew that morning that God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone;
for part of us went with you the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide,
and though we cannot see you, you are always by our side.
Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same,
but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again."

I love this picture of my uncle waving goodbye, or maybe hello?
This is my Dad's entire family. He's the little serious guy in the middle. His Mom Maria gave birth to all these boys. It said they were all over 12 pounds. She had them all at home. She died when my dad was four. The other picture is their Dad, my Uncle and again the little guy is my dad. He's sooooo cute! I see a lot of Ruby in him. Seeing these pictures of my Dad and his family means a lot to me. My Dad has shared very little of his childhood. My Dad and his brothers are very simple people with little words but have the kindest biggest hearts!