The Best Man (a memoir of a loved one)

The Best Man 
(a memoir of a loved one)
Patrick McInerney ‘17

Why must we die? Why must our loved ones leave us? One day we’re here, the next we are gone. Gone forever. Why do bad things happen to good people? The best man of all men, the most courageous, the most loving, the one which looks after everyone but himself. Why must he leave? No one knows the reason for sure?

There once was a man who was as strong as a lion, as courageous as a bear, and who had a love for his family deeper than anyone alive. God took this man from this earth a year before his 50th birthday. He was the best of all uncles, the greatest of all siblings, the most sincere of all sons. He was the person who deserved life more than anyone. Maybe that is the reason that he is gone. Maybe God called him early because he deserved paradise. My uncle truly was the best of us. I talked to him two days before his unexpected passing. He called for my brother to congratulate him on his high school graduation. He called on three different occasions, unable to reach my brother on all three. I so deeply regret that I had not tried harder to let him talk to my brother by phone. The last time I spoke to him he wished my family his blessings and his love. Every time he called he would send his blessings and love.

It happened so suddenly, the day after the graduation party many family members were still around. We received a call that my uncle had died that morning at his friend’s house in Colorado. At this point no one knows why or how. The only thing I know is that I love my Uncle Danny. Every person that met my Uncle loved him. God loved Uncle Danny. I know that one day we will meet again in heaven. One day we will see each other again in paradise. Until that day I will try my best to be like Uncle Danny. I will do my best to love the way he loved his family and his God. Uncle Danny, I wish you were here with me now, I wish I could talk to you again and hear you laugh. I wish I could give you that big bear hug you always give me.  I wish I could go fishing with you like we planned, and go skiing in Colorado. I wish you would pick me up from that airport in New York one more time, and we could sit in traffic. Even then I would still be happy because I am with you. I wish I could spread the happiness you spread every time you walked through the door. I cannot bear to think that I will never see you again on this earth. I wish that this was just a bad dream, and I could wake up and know that you will come to visit soon. Uncle Danny I love you. Pray for me as I will pray for you. Take it easy in heaven big guy, I will make it back to you one day. You will always be in my heart Uncle Danny. I love you so much. 5/24/15.