November 10, 1988 – October 13,
2000
October 16, 2000
People
often wonder what the meaning of their lives are and ask why things happen as
they do.
My wife
Tina and I had the privilege and honor to be Gregory’s godparents. The role of a godparent is to guide your
godchild, through example, to become children of God.
I learned
early in Greg’s life that the relationship was to be a role reversal. Through the years, I came to know by being
with Greg, his parents, Frank and Rose, and his brother Frankie, that it was
Greg who would be the teacher – and the lesson would be to teach and show all
those whose lives he touched the real meaning of life and purpose.
Many people
have the ability to express themselves and communicate with each other through
words, thoughts and expression. Greg
could not do any of these things yet everyone understood Greg. Greater still, watching Greg with his
family, he was able to convey to each of us the most important message in one’s
life.
Greg became
the instrument through which God spoke to all of us whose lives he touched.
That
message God sent to us through Greg was how to give and receive unconditional
love to one another.
Those of us
blessed to be part of Greg’s life were witness to this special love as part of
Greg’s daily life. Each of us who met
Greg participated in this unconditional love.
Each of us
here witness to the tireless devotion, care, love and support by his mother and
father, brother, the Molinaro and Fotia families in their care of Greg, was
witness to true unconditional love daily.
Greg is the
instrument God sent to remind us that faith and love are the most important
part of our lives.
Greg is the
instrument through which Frank and Rose, having seen and living life with a
physically challenged child, were inspired to give Greg and those children like
him the opportunity to live the best lives they could through the creation of
the Children’s Relief Fund.
Greg is the
instrument through which we saw his caregivers, teachers, doctors and health
care providers give unconditional love and support to Greg and his family in
their daily care of him.
While just
one of these examples of unconditional love would be enough for one lifetime,
we thank God we had the opportunity to call Greg ours for the short time he stayed
here with us.
As hard and
difficult as the past several days and the future will be without Greg in our
midst physically, he remains and lives forever inside each of us. Every one of us owes it to each other to
tell one another of the ways our lives were blessed by Greg.
In closing,
we owe it to Greg to follow his example and show our unconditional love to him.
This love,
as difficult as it is, is the gift to Greg, to let him go, to return home to
God.
But don’t
think for a moment that Greg will not be here among us. He will be the same special angel and
messenger from God for all of us, looking after us from his playground in
heaven. All we need to do is listen –
Greg will be speaking to us in the way he always could – through God.
I have been asked to read the following poem by Greg’s
family. This poem also speaks to
unconditional love and the ability to love someone enough to let go.
In tears we
saw you sinking,
And watched
you fade away.
Our hearts
were almost broken
We wanted
you to stay.
But when we
saw you sleeping
So peaceful
and free from pain
How could
we wish you back
With us to
suffer pain again.
It broke
our hearts to lose you
But you did
not go alone
For part of
us went with you
The day God
took you home.
To Greg,
from your family and friends, thank you.
We love you and miss you, but know you are in a place where there is no
more pain and suffering. God Bless You.
Gregory was
the eleven-year-old son of Frank and Rose Fotia from Hilton Head Island, S.C.