Brotherly Love
My big brother was my hero. When we were little, I have special memories of playing at our summer cottage in Indiana on the lake, going for boat rides in the family row boat, fishing with hot dogs, lots of swimming including riding our bikes off the end of the pier into the water, and playing a made up game called "Beam" with all our cousins. We played with frogs, bugs and worms and did all things "lake". In Chicago, I helped him deliver the Chicago Tribune newspaper in the freezing winter cold and this made me strong and knowing I can do anything I set my mind to. I was definitely his sports buddy and we played everything together from softball, baseball, and even ice hockey on the pond across the street from our house almost every day after school. He also made me a pretty good ping pong player! He turned me into a "tom boy" and I had fun with him every minute. In my late teens I found myself a single mother and my brother helped me raise my little girl into the fantastic woman and mother she is today. He was always looking out for me, and making sure my daughter and I were safe, happy and ensuring we had what we needed to survive. Jack even replaced the transmission in my Ford Pinto twice, so I could work. While in nursing school, he always checked up on me to make sure I was doing alright and if there was anything I needed. And he always remembered me on Mother's Day with a bright message letting me know he was thinking of me and my daughter. Our connection lasted until he passed suddenly and this broke my heart. Jack was such a kind, gentle soul who always thought of others before himself. I hope he knew just how much he meant to me and how much we loved our brother. Although a quiet man, his support for all of us rang loud and clear. He was my big brother, my hero and my fiercest protector. I wlll miss him everyday of my life.