0;George has had a heart attack, he has gone to a better place.” I will never forget that moment of complete and total emptiness. My premonitions had come true. I could not believe the strong man I looked up to had been defeated. It was hard to imagine that this man who was like a father to me would not be cheering for us on the sideline anymore.“We understand death for the first time when He puts his hand upon one whom we love” The priest could not have said it better. As he finished his sermon, the congregation rose from the pews in unison. One by one, the community passed by the open casket. It seemed as though the whole town had come in his honor. He meant so many thing to so many people. The line in front of me became smaller and smaller. Soon it would be my turn, my turn to see the shell of a man I admired so greatly. A man who lived his life for others, and a man who’s legacy will live on long after him. Contemplating on whether or not I could handle it, I looked over at Mike. He was with the rest of the family standing in front They were all watching, while being consoled by everyone who passed by. He stared back with an emptiness I had never seen before from a human being.I knew then, that I had to, that I couldn’t let another opportunity pass me by. Finally I was next in line. As I approached the casket, my heart started to tremor, and I could feel my self start to jump out of my own skin. To see him in that beautiful coffin entirely made up; ironically, he never looked better. I put my index and middle finger up to my lips. I kissed them, then I touched them to my hero’s forehead. “Thank you” , spontaneously, the words that I had been wanting to say for so long, the words that I had the regret of not saying, so easily came out. It was then that I knew that he knows....
