Update - December 2007
Dan, it's been a year since we lost you. We miss you more than ever and will feel our loss especially deeply over the holidays. Pam and Mara have moved into a great house in Blue Bell that you must have had a hand in selecting as it's perfect for them. Just another example of how you continue to watch over your family in many ways. Mara is now three years old and is enjoying her new purple bedroom and the yard in the back. Her blue eyes provide us all with a warm reminder of you every day.
Your friends, family and co-workers have demonstrated amazing loyalty by supporting the Mara Howard Fund and by going to the doctor to have their moles checked out. At least 11 people have had moles removed with at least five people catching melanoma in the early stages. One of your greatest legacies is that you provided the most powerful reminder for all of us to watch out for Melanoma going forward.
Dan, thanks for making all of our lives richer while you were here and for the great memories we have of time spent together. We miss you.
Dan, it's been a year since we lost you. We miss you more than ever and will feel our loss especially deeply over the holidays. Pam and Mara have moved into a great house in Blue Bell that you must have had a hand in selecting as it's perfect for them. Just another example of how you continue to watch over your family in many ways. Mara is now three years old and is enjoying her new purple bedroom and the yard in the back. Her blue eyes provide us all with a warm reminder of you every day.
Your friends, family and co-workers have demonstrated amazing loyalty by supporting the Mara Howard Fund and by going to the doctor to have their moles checked out. At least 11 people have had moles removed with at least five people catching melanoma in the early stages. One of your greatest legacies is that you provided the most powerful reminder for all of us to watch out for Melanoma going forward.
Dan, thanks for making all of our lives richer while you were here and for the great memories we have of time spent together. We miss you.
8 comments:
Dear Pam and Mara,
I miss Uncle Dan so much. I am sure you miss him too. I am really sorry about what happened and I wish I could just rub on his picture and make him come back to life. That is how much I miss him. I think about him every day, but he is still with us.
I love you both,
Eliza
Dear Pam, Mara, and the Howard Family –
It is hard to believe a year has passed. We miss Dan so much. You are all in our thoughts constantly, and we marvel at and learn from the strength and love that you exude. Our hearts still ache for your loss.
There are two photos in the slideshow that are marked “unknown-1.jpg” and “unknown-2.jpg” that represent Dan stories worth telling. The first, with Dan holding 10-month old Mara, was taken at the Moyers’ house (Bob, Kristan, Henry & Ruby) at the draft for a Fantasy Football League of which Dan volunteered to be commissioner. This was August 2005. It was comprised of Upper Moreland people and spouses, and that Eric & I were included in anything involving football was quite hilarious. I remember asking Dan that day if we could do something within my realm of expertise, like Fantasy Orchestra League, where if Yo-Yo Ma plays a concert your team scores a certain number of points. Dan answered in that withering, yet loving, way, “Let’s not.” Dan was only person I have ever known who really could be withering yet loving in delivery. I learned many things in this fantasy football league, such as that the fantasy football message board is not an appropriate place for experimental poetry or Shakespearean references, and that you are actually supposed to watch the football games, not just the little football field with the moving black dots on the fantasy website.
The second picture, with Dan catching Mara on the slide, was at our house (Susan, Eric & Estella) in May 2006. Jeff and Becky were still living in MA and were in town, so we had everyone over for a brunch. Dan showed up to the party wearing a paper Flyers helmet. I remember him wearing it for a significant portion of the party. He at one point easily and deftly maneuvered getting Mara to share the hat with my daughter Estella, which anyone who has ever been the parent of a toddler knows to be a high-level parenting feat. It was a good morning for us all to be together, and eventually we all just let Jeff and Becky – the only childless couple at the time in attendance (although that status has changed) – entertain all the kids.
Dan, we miss you so much. Your wife is a truly amazing human being. Your daughter is adorable and I love getting to see her. Your family is inspiring.
Dan, I also have to say, I am sorry for all the minutes of your life I wasted trying to get you to talk about 90210 or other idiotic TV shows. The truth is, you were really fun to annoy, and I loved goading you into saying withering, sarcastic things to me. This was possibly more fun for me than you, as you had to suffer through listening to some really stupid things. I think you liked me better when I said smart things & debated things of consequence with you, which I know we both enjoyed a lot. Hopefully, over the long course of our friendship, there was enough of a balance that you would think well upon me. We miss you a ton.
Love to all who read this,
Susan
Pam,
Your strength impresses me. My thoughts are with you and Mara today.
Dan-o -- Not a day goes by when I don't think of you in my constant fight against self-absorption and petty stress. As if four beautiful kids and a wonderful wife aren't enough, you stand as a constant reminder of just how good I have it. And I'm sorry for that. I'd much rather slip into the obvlivion I happily lived in before you were taken. Gwen and I miss you and remain heartbroken for you, Pam, Mara, and the rest of that clan we love to call the Howards. I've come to learn that your legacy is what I hope will be mine -- wenever you are a topic of any conversation, there is inevitably a segue to a story that ends in hearty, genuine laughter. Just one more sign of a life lived right.
I'm tongue tied and teary eyed. Dan, I wish so badly that you were here with us and home with Pam and Mara, this Christmas. You are so present still in my thoughts that even after a year I can't shake this sense of disbelief that you're gone. Love to Pam, to all of the Howards and to all of our friends - how rich we are to have each other. I love you guys.
Susan's comment reminds me that Dan was the happiest cynic I knew. Withering, yet loving. He knew that people are basically a**holes, but he also knew that he had the best a**holes anyone could ask for in his family and his friends. Damn I miss him.
I've been thinking a lot about Dan lately for several reasons:
1. Like so many have said above, it's hard to think it's been a year. I've been thinking of him often ever since the anniversary date.
2. Each year before Christmas, Dan and I (and sometimes Bob Reichert) would go up to Peddlers Village for the annual shopping trip to the lingerie store. Dan and I did it for the obvious reasons...free drinks and cheap thrills, but we did mostly to keep the tradition alive and having it as an excuse to go out together (it lasted for maybe 3 or 4 years..and we stopped doing it some time ago). Anyway, my wife Michele and I were at Peddlers Village on December 15th for dinner and shopping. As we were walking around we passed the store Dan and I use to go to. It made me both sad and happy...sad knowing I can never experience those good times with Dan again, but happy knowing at least I have those great memories of him and I together. I made sure I toasted Dan later that night for those great times.
3. The week after my wife and I were at Peddlers Village I had a strange mole on my shoulder (that showed up out of nowhere) removed and sent for a biopsy. I still remember Rob saying at Dan's service that if any of us in attendance ever had anything strange show up on our bodies that we should honor Dan by getting it checked out. Man, his words have stuck with me ever since he said that. When I noticed this strange mole, I immediately got it checked out by a dermatologist at Penn. Thankfully, the lab results showed it was benign. Like Rob said, I will always be cognizant of what goes on with my body...and always remember Dan as I'm doing so.
Dan...man, I miss you.
Phil Sapovits
Danny. Happy Birthday. I can't help wondering...would you cheer or boo McNabb? You had a great boo - one of the best. Phils looking strong. Red October 3. Willie Mays Hayes couldn't make this Phils team they're so stacked. Rain is good. Fall crops looking pretty happy now that the summer heat appears to have moved on. Yeah - feels like a good day for a Yuengling. I'll make it 2. Miss you brother.
Post a Comment