Jacob passed away December 27. We are coming up on one year without him. I understand the hyperbole. I understand that he’s likely with us in spirit. I want to believe it all. I do most of the time. One year ago, Jacob was alive. One year ago, Jacob could cry and laugh. One year...

Fun Fact… I worked in a funeral home. That was my first experience with duality of life. I have vague memories of the first week on the job. I remember seeing lifeless bodies and wondering how people do this job every day. After a week or two, I could walk by a casket and not...

This weekend is my 30th high school reunion. Reunions, by nature, make us more reflective. We tend to remember the good times and oft times the incredibly bad times. My experiences over the past two years started the period of reflection earlier for me. As I look back on my “formative” years, what were my...

Today marks 256 days since I last heard Jacob’s voice. Please keep in mind that I am writing from my experiences and thus, I write in the first person. He’s departed from his mom, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and many more. This is how I see it. Therapy has saved me. Naomi and...

It’s been eight months. No longer do I need to qualify this time-period with a subject. We all know. As long as I can remember, I’ve compartmentalized my life by time periods. I think that’s human nature. What was life before being married? Where was I when I got sober? How was I when Jacob...

As many of you know, my brother Ken, sister Hallie and I bought a bench at Horseshoe Lake Park in Shaker Heights. We did it for a few reasons. Jacob’s legacy was in how he lived not about his death. We needed a spot to remember and reflect that wasn’t his grave site. Horseshoe Lake...

There it is was staring at me. A black Nike sock. The kind my son always had me buy for him. It may seem mundane, but I felt a rash of emotions. It has been seven months since my son passed away. In some ways it seems like so long ago, yet so close. Seven...

Seven months have passed since my wife lost her son. Seven months have passed since my daughter lost her brother. Seven months have passed since countless cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends alike lost Jacob. Seven months have passed since I was able to kiss Jacob’s head and tell him I love him. That is,...

The past 6 months has been that of firsts. Naomi’s first birthday in motherhood without Jacob. Ana’s first birthday without big brother. Naomi’s first Mother’s Day without her first born. That had to have been the worst. I cannot imagine her pain and I am in the middle of it. My birthday came and went...

It’s been five months since you left this physical presence.  We celebrated your birthday.  We celebrated Ana’s birthday.  We watched with adoration as Ana loaded in an Escalade with her prom date and friends to dinner.  Today is Molly’s birthday.  We will be celebrating with the traditional “Cousins and Cake.”  As hard as it is,...