The Legend of Zelda

Avi's interactive Internet video game, The Legend of Zelda, remains unopened, still in the sealed mailing box sent from an on-line merchant. It was for his birthday last December, but his receipt and usage was contingent on keeping up with his schoolwork.

Susie was going to give it to finally give it to him at the start of the President's Week vacation. I insisted on waiting, however, until Avi was mostly caught up.

Avi died during Presiden't Week.

I don't know what to do with the unused game. I'd like to give it away or to sell it for the benefit of a charitable organization.

Any takers or suggestions?

It's now more than four months...

...since Avi died. At times, I still have trouble believing it, given the circumstances of his death.

Unless we have company on Friday nights, I have difficulty getting through Eishet Hayil without Avi beside me to lend his spirited voice. I just manage to get through the traditional blessing of my daughter, Chana, knowing that Avi can no longer press my hand atop his head to get his blessing.

HHNE Yearbook 2006

The Hebrew High School of New England held its graduation ceremony last Monday. The very first page was a memorial to Avi, featuring his picture and the final version of his last d'var torah.

Naso

Last year and the year before, Avi chanted Bemidbar (Numbers), Chapter 7, which is the latter portion of the weekly reading known as Naso (nah-so). The chapter is read as well during the course of Hannukah, when Avi became a Bar Mitzvah.

This morning, I read in Avi's place, preparing from the Tikkun that he had received as a gift for his Bar Mitzvah.

I plan to read each year from Naso and from Avi's Bar Mitzvah portion, Mikkeitz (Gen. 41:1-44:17) to honor my son's memory.

T-Shirt From the LaBrosse Family's Diabetes Walk

Please click the title of this entry for the beginning of the story.

These are images from the front and the back of the T-shirts that Karen and Jim and family wore during the May 21 diabetes walkathon in Providence, RI.

Thank you, LaBrosse Family and to all those who participated!

Avi's Fifth Grade Teacher Remembers

Avi attended the Morley School for the spring term of the fifth grade. His teacher, Tiffany Agard-Pegolo, learned of his death only about two weeks ago. Today, we received this letter. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Miki Neumann's Shavu'ot Dedication

Miki Neumann is a professor of Mathematics at the University of Connecticut. Each year, he is one of the presenters at Beth David's all-night Shavu'ot study session. This is the cover page of his handout.

A Sad Day Topped By Another Death

This evening, the Connecticut Children's Medical Center held its annual memorial service for children who had died at the hospital. I've been working long hours lately, so I was unable to attend the service, but it was on my mind today.

During the course of the nondemoniational service, parents were given the opportunity to say a few words about their children. Had I been there, I doubt that I would have been emotionally able to get past the first sentence.

To top off my sadness, I was informed by Rabbi Adler at minyan tonight that the 14-year-old grandson of Rabbi Mordechai Weiss, the principal of the Sigel Hebrew Academy, died today of injuries that he had suffered on the day before Shavu'ot. A car had struck Dov Mattityahu while he was riding his bicycle.

I felt as if my own Avi had died again.

May the family of Dov Mattityahu be sustained as they confront grief.