Angels Among Us

My father's passing was a tragedy at the time- a sudden death, heart attack in Reno, Nevada. I can remember the day like it was yesterday. It truly was a very sad day for many, but especially for his eight children and loving wife. "What a profound moment to see six sons carry their father's casket," I remember Father Rocha saying at the funeral. Even though the loss has not gotten any less significant after 15 years, I can definitely now appreciate the growth and maturity that came with losing someone so very meaningful in my life, and I know my dad continues to "teach" me even in his absence...

I don't remember ever feeling as close to my siblings as I did the week immediately following our father's death. Sitting around the kitchen table and sharing stories, laughing hysterically one moment, and seconds later, breaking down in tears. We understood each other like no one else did or could at that time, and there was nothing that felt as safe and comforting as being together.

Just days after he died, we sat in the family room at 1833 Lincoln Blvd.- some on the couch, some on the floor-us eight kids and mom. Extended family members and friends were comforting each other in other parts of the house, while us nine, planned his funeral. Most of the focus was on the songs to be played. After getting "special" approval from Father Rocha to have "commercial" songs in the church, we had big decisions to make. What songs? And at what point? James Taylor was a "no brainer"; Dad loved him; we had listened to James Taylor the whole ride to Reno. He also loved, The Rose, by Bette Midler. We all liked the The Dance by Garth Brooks, but we still needed one more-a communion song.

After leaving the room for a few moments, my older brother Chris came back in with a tape recorder. With passion that I had not seen from him in a long time, he said, "I have a really good song." He pressed play and the voices of Alabama started talking- not singing, talking. Felt like Dad was speaking to us, comforting us. It was surreal. Then the voices of small children started singing. I got chills. It was the perfect song- Angels Among Us.

My older brother James is the "tech guy" of the bunch. He made a tape of all the songs and then copied it for all of us. Making copies of songs in 1995 was not that easy! LOL! It required a two-tape player with a "Record" button. No Itunes, IPOD or CD's for that matter. The tape was titled, "Ninny Papa Songs," which was the endearing name that the grandkids had given Dad; there were six at the time; now, there's 24!

We all had that tape in our cars, apartments, houses, etc. and played those songs all the time. It just helped. I think because it kept us connected, and took us back to that night at 1833 Lincoln Blvd., when for a short awhile, all we did was think about Dad...together.