At 0:45 Saturday June 17, 2017 my mother passed away at the age of 73. It has been a rough couple of months watching her deteriorate. She was diagnosed at the age of 19 with Multiple Sclerosis, an auto immune disease which sees the immune system attack the mylin coating around the nerves of the body. Statistically speaking someone with moderate MS dies by 66. Mom as usual was someone that astounded people.

She was an admitted very shy girl and young woman when her older brother introduced her to my father upon coming home from Army service. They married and had 4 chidren, me being the youngest. When I was a year old the split up and we were on welfare growing up in the Bronx, NYC.. My older sister was born mentally retarded and with cerebral palsy. Mom always says it was this that forced her to break out of her shell and fight for any help, be it from my father or public assistance, that she needed. And fight she did. A very outspoken believer in social welfare, she always maintained it should only be a help up, never full time support and she made good on this by getting as many jobs as she could to get us off welfare before I entered the first grade. We never went back on.

She eventually lost the use of her legs and became wheelchair bound in her 50s. She was declared disabled by the US government and collected disability until she died. She instilled in me a desire to fight for others less fortunate than me, a willingness to question everything because human beings especially those afraid to lose their power lie. She taught me to tell the truth even if leads me to my death, and I am sorry for when I haven't been strong enough to do so, mom. She taught me most of all no matter how shitty a hand seems when dealt, laugh. Just fucking laugh. As mom told one of her friends when this woman was shocked to hear my mom say ****, "you try raising three boys in the Bronx, NYC without saying the word **** sometimes". I cant laugh tonight because I've been turned into the young kid that got my mom to play Summer Games on the Commodore 64 with him, and who loved hearing his mom laugh while I visited for a weekend and played Fable 1&2 with her. Problem is tonight I know mom is gone. I love you mom. I'll miss you always. With Love, Dan.