My "Overnight Journey'" experience conclusion postponed

It’s been over a week since completing the Overnight Walk and I plan to wrap up my “Overnight Journey” but realized that it is only fitting that I write individual posts for Kathy Hull and Mattie Whitmer. Their memory (angel) bracelets were made when I first began this journey and I wasn’t sure how writing my first blog would play out. As it were, I ended up creating a separate post for each angel and their bracelet made. Kathy and Mattie were both mentioned within my post "Memory Bracelets" but not in their own post.

These two angels and their parents are very special to me and deserve their own posts. So for now, until I write my "In Memory" posts for them both, my conclusion post for my "Overnight Journey" will be postponed for a few more days.

In Memory of Frank Janes

Frank Thomas Janes
1959 - 2010

Frank Thomas Janes was born on May 16, 1959 in San Francisco and departed this world on November 7, 2010.  His mother Sybilla told me that he was the only one of her six children that had her blue eyes.  As a child he loved dinosaurs so much that he knew them all by name.  He was a typical little boy… full of mischief and very quick on his feet. 

As Frank grew a little older he enjoyed watching old classic movies and scary movies… like Frankenstein and Dracula.   He also was a clever artist at a young age.  His mother described his drawings as having “movement” to them.  It was not surprising to learn that Frank was sensitive to and moved by music.  I would imagine that his drawings had movement in them because of his connection to music.  After all, music in one’s soul provides the movement in your feet for dancing and in your hands for creating!  Frank’s mother said that he would often ask her what instrument was playing when listening to music he liked on the radio  and that he always took an interest in a classical piece by Debussy that she would play on the piano. Frank was a true San Francisco 49er and San Francisco Giants fan throughout his entire life.  He was able to see the Giant’s win the World Series in 2010 with his sister Suzy, which made him very happy!

From what Frank’s mother has shared with me, he was a kind, caring and sensitive soul, loved by many.  He had a cat as a teenager named "fricken" that he loved so much, that his heart was broken and was unconsolable after losing his beloved cat. He took care of an old girlfriend who had been diagnosed with brain cancer -- spending all of his weekends with her… keeping her company. It sounds like Frank was an angel here on earth before becoming one of heaven's angels.
  

When making Frank’s angel bracelet, I chose the black beads against the white letter beads to represent the piano keys for the classical pieces that he listed to his mother play and the translucent blue beads for his eyes and a charm with music notes for the music that seemed to touch his soul.

There’s music in a well-lived life, and melodies remain each

time a loving memory repeats the sweet refrain.

The song that lingers in our hearts

becomes our legacy ~ its beauty gently echoing

through all eternity.

- Unknown

In Memory of Adam P. Kaplan

Adam Paul Kaplan
1983 - 2007

Adam Kaplan was born June 20, 1983 and left his large and loving family to be with the angels on December 28, 2007.  Adam is remembered fondly by his family and friends for his good heart, intelligence and sensitivity, his sense of humor and the twinkle in his Irish eyes.

I met Adam’s mother Christine and Aunt Joanie at my first meeting with the Bridge Rail Foundation in San Francisco. We were gathering to discuss the possibility of launching what is now known as the BRF’s “Whose Shoes?” exhibit. I immediately felt a kinship and connection to Adam’s aunt Joanie and mother Christine. Adam’s aunt Joanie was full of energy like my sister and his mother Christine a bit more reserved like me.  I could see in the two sisters, me and my sister and the love and support that they have for each other in such emotional and difficult times. I could only imagine what a wonderful person Adam was, having gotten to know his mother and aunt.

I knew that Adam was one of the angels that I wanted to make a memory bracelet for and carry him with me on my Overnight Journey.  Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to ask Adam’s mother if I could make a bracelet with his name and walk in his memory.  I asked her for a little information about Adam so that I could put that into the making of the bracelet. Adam’s mom said that he liked the outdoors and loved his dog.

Adam's Memory (Angel) Bracelet

When I was making the bracelet I tried to incorporate the outdoors in it by using the blue and clear beads to represent water; the green beads for the leaves on the trees and grass, the tiny wooden heart beads the bark on the trees;  the light blue cloudy beads for the sky and the clouds; a few golden beads for the sunlight; a little dog charm for his beloved dog and the center bead a shell for the beach and sand that I pictured Adam running and playing with his dog on.

When I saw both Adam’s mother and aunt at the “Whose Shoes?” exhibit and showed them Adam’s memory bracelet, they both thought it was perfect. When I explained to Adam’s aunt Joanie my representation of the beads from the two things that his mother had told me weeks before “he liked the outdoors… and loved his dog”, she asked me if I were physic.  Joanie told me that Adam took his dog Jenny to Fort Funston and the beach all of the time.  She said that Adam, along with the other angels that I’ve been making what she has renamed  my Angel bracelets, must be speaking to me while I was making them. As unusual as that sounds to some (me included), I have to believe that Joanie was right. With every bracelet I’ve made I have felt emotions that I’m not familiar with and I thought that the last five years I had touched on every emotion imaginable.

Thank you Adam for sharing yourself with me while making your “Angel Bracelet”. I can feel the love and devotion that your family will always have for you whenever I'm in their presence.  Say hello to my personal angel “Larry” when you see him!

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard,
but must be felt with the heart."
-Helen Keller

In Memory of Matthew "Matty" Cevallos

Matthew "Matty" Cevallos
1970 - 2006

Matthew "Matty" Cevallos was born on April 27, 1970 and departed this world suddenly on at the age of 36.  I didn't know Matty, but wish that I had.  In my effort to get to know a little more about him, I found myself returning several times to the online guest book that his parent's have kept online because I wanted to know who this  beautiful soul was. I have to admit I have cried a thousand tears getting to know Matty through the eyes and words of those whose lives he graced and touched so deeply. We all should be so lucky in life to have had a "Matty C" in our lives.

He was honest and caring with so much love for his family and friends.  Matty possessed extraordinary confidence, intellect and had an infectious smile that lit up the room.  As a boy he excelled in soccer, baseball, skiing and as a man became a formidable tri-athlete. He finished the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii at age 23. and soon after on the Escape from Alcatraz Biathlon.

From everything that I've learned about Matty from his mother Gloria, along with the words of the many friends and family written in his online guest book, it crystal clear to me that he was a man whose presence in the lives he touched was truly a present! I would not be able to even begin to put into words what so many that knew and loved Matty have alread done, so this post is excepts from the eulogy given by one of his many friends.

"... I have many incredible stories I would love to share with all of you that represent the purity of Matt’s soul, his unconditional devotion to those he loved and cared for, the sacrifices he made, the tears he shed for people he knew and didn’t know, the way in which he always lit up a room and if we all look deep enough, left an imprint on our hearts”…

…“To sum it up and not justly… Matt had a way of making people feel alive like no other just by being present and almost lifeless when he left.” …

…“Matthew Cevallos was 36 years old when he made his departure from this life but as I look around this room, I am convinced more than ever that age is irrelevant because look what he accomplished... He may not have lived the way we think everyone should but again, that’s irrelevant. Imagine the world had we not been blessed with knowing him… It’s almost as though he had a mission from the beginning and it was fulfilled, not for him but for us and then his work was done… Look at the person next to you…. how many of us were connected through Matt, how many of us lived and still live with more passion now after knowing him…

…This world was too small for your enormous spirit Matt… Rest in peace your work here is done.”  - Tami





"... His life may have been short, way too short, but he certainly lived it. Far too many people
“endure” life, but Matt Cevallos “lived” life!
What an awesome legacy."
(excerpt from guest book - Frank)

"It is not length of life, but depth of life."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson