prayers....

A very special man in our parish passed away yesterday morning of a massive heart attack.  He was only 47 and the father of 4 wonderful children and husband to a woman whom I think the world of...he woke up not feeling well, got back in bed and was gone, thankfully it happened quickly.  Our school/parish had a rosary at school yesterday and it was so moving to see all of the children who are friends with that family and all of us parents in tears.  John was a knight and was so active... took collection up almost every sunday at mass and was the one who drove (very far) to pick up all of the christmas trees for the knights to sell.  He dressed up as Santa for the kids, was the head of our athletic association... his sweet wife headed up the weekly rosary for moms, all of us with little ones at our sides.  My kids have grown up so close to this family (they think that we are related because her brother is married to Flynn's cousin!) we were in a playgroup together when the older ones were little so Mally is close to their second daughter and their oldest who is now in college was mally's "buddy" at school...she wanted mally since Mally was a toddler!  Nora is in the same class as their youngest Jonathan and is BIG friends with him.  Hagan though was the one we were worried about,  John always loved Hagan and they had this banter back and forth, John loved to mess with Hagan.  Our older boys left school to join us at the rosary.  We all feel as if we are walking around in a daze, in shock...the kids shared memories of him all afternoon...I ask for prayers for this sweet family as they have such a difficult road ahead.  He was a wonderful man and will be so missed.