Casey's Speech for Grampy

The past few days have been the hardest between Grampy's wake and funeral. I know that both my children are suffering this loss very deeply but show it (or not show it in my son's case) very differently.

Casey did not want to leave the wake but I told her that we would be back in the morning and she could still see Grampy before the funeral mass. Justin was a pallbearer so I could not sit near him during the mass. I kept looking over to see how he was doing because he did a great job at hiding his feelings. At the cemetary "Amazing Grace" was played by the bagpipes (I have been singing this for 4 days) so I knew this was going to get the best of both of my children and I was correct. Justin let it go and I am very thankful that I was by his side. I can't think of anything worse than seeing your children suffer. My heart has been in pieces.

It really dawned on me the other day how much I myself have learned from my children's grampy. Thinking back, every time I saw Willie he taught me something. Even the last time I visited with him in the hospital he spoke about lunch meat and how the only really natural one to eat is roast beef. He went on and on about different foods and shared what he learned from his nutrionist. This topic came about because we wanted to get him something to eat. Any conversation you had with Willie on any topic, you always came away from it learning something new. That's amazing! And it also makes it a bit harder because I love the influence he had on my children. They are so blessed to have had many awesome memories and Casey especially did not take it for granted.

Casey was unable to read her speech at the funeral mass but they set up a microphone at the Irish American afterwards so she could read it. I can't stress how much it meant to her! I will post it below. Last night we sat at the computer typing it up and printing it out real pretty so that we could frame it for her bedroom and make one for her Nanny. Then she showed me a card she made for Grampy in school but forgot to give it to him. Then being just like her mom, she sat at the computer listening to sad songs that remind her of Grampy.



"MY GRANDFATHER WAS A LOVING MAN. HE WAS KIND AND THOUGHTFUL. HE TREATED EVERYBODY WITH CARE. HE WAS WONDERFUL TO HIS WIFE. HE LOVED HER AND SHE LOVED HIM.
THEY HAD 4 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND 9 GRANDCHILDREN.

WE ALL LOVE GRAMPY AND WE WILL MISS HIM. WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT HE IS IN A BETTER PLACE NOW AND HE IS NOT HERE SUFFERING.

IT WAS VERY HARD WATCHING GRAMPY OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND EVEN HARDER WATCHING GOD CALL HIM HOME TO HEAVEN.

REMEMBER ALL THE GOOD TIMES YOU SHARED WITH HIM. I SHARED MANY GOOD MEMORIES WITH HIM. HE TOOK ME TO CANADA WHEN I WAS 8. WHEN I WAS 9 I GOT SICK AND HE TOOK CARE OF ME. WHEN I WAS 10 HE THREW ME A NICE BIRTHDAY PARTY. WHEN I WAS 11 THERE WASN’T MUCH HE COULD DO FOR ME.

GOD HAS A PLAN. I DON’T KNOW THIS PLAN AND I MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT I TRUST HIM. I HAVE NO MAGIC WORDS TO MAKE ANY OF US FEEL BETTER. HE IS VERY SPECIAL IN OUR HEARTS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING."

Written by Casey Arsenault
July 2, 2008