It is the start of the Henry Birthday Pageant. All of your doctors came into town for it.

Actually, there is a meeting of the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund in Bethesda that they have all come to attend. On Thursday night we went out there with Joe and Jack to say hello. We saw Dr. McMillan, Dr. Auerbach and Lynn and Dave Frohnmayer.

There were a few other "Fanconi Families" there. One family is the McQueen's of Richmond. I wonder if they know about Jared DeMarco. The McQueen's are super nice. They are raising a lot of money for research. I met the kids for the first time. There is a daughter and the little boy, Casey, has Fanconi.



He is 7 years old. Very handsome guy. I had the usual feeling of just wanting to hug him tight.

It was especially nice seeing Lynn and Dave. I was remembering when Dave had a heart attack when he was here in Washington years ago. You were still around and must have been well. We lent Lynn our car and tried to help them out as much as possible. Luckily he was in a room full of doctors when he started to have trouble. He came through it all okay.

Lynn and Dave lost 2 daughters to Fanconi and their other daughter, Amy, has FA too. She is in college. There are two sons as well. Honestly, I do not know how they do it. On top of running the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund and being a parent, Dave is the president of a college. That is a huge job.

Last night we went out for dinner with Dr. Auerbach. It is always nice spending time with Dr. Auerbach. She said that Dr. Gillio was here for just a little bit and then headed out. After dinner we met up with Dr. Wagner and his wife. We talked a lot about you -- one of my most favorite things to do. Dr. Wagner remembered how he used to see you at hotels and Georgetown when he came to DC. Mom and I learned a lot more about you and what happened, and how Fanconi transplants are going now. They are going much better. Timing. Timing. Timing.

Dr. Wagner is an amazing man. You and Fanconi Anemia let me and Mom meet really remarkable people -- people who we probably would never meet otherwise.

We talked about the fact that you've been dead four years. To me that is officially way too long. I can't say, "he died a year or so ago," anymore. I think I wrote "dead" here because it is harsher than "gone." I feel like you've been dead, not gone.

Dr. Wagner, Dr. Auerbach, Dr. Hughes, Lynn and Dave are Tzaddikim. A Tzaddik is a righteous person. I feel fortunate to know them. I feel fortunate to know there are people like them who devote themselves to saving lives. It makes me feel hopeful.

Yesterday during the day we went to a farm with Susan, Simon and Alex. I asked Mom about the pictures we took of you and Jack at Butler's Orchard. She is going to find them for me.







Today we went to a book signing at Politics & Prose. Jeffrey Goldberg wrote a book. Mom just read it and I will read it when she is finished. I think it will be weird to read about someone you know. Maybe that is why I haven't read all of the book that Mom has written about you and her.

I remember buying Harry Potter CDs at Politics & Prose with you and Jack. Jack was psyched he went with us today because some of his Gan buddies were there, Sam Shoyer and Jacob Stern. Both of you made the best friends there. Mom and I are a little worried that Joe doesn't have any close friends like you and Jack have.

We are going to go with Simon to Cactus Cantina on Wednesday night for your birthday. Ari and Jake, are coming too. Today I was looking at the picture of the four of you -- Henry, Simon, Ari, Jake -- that I have in my Henry memory box. That made me sad. Mom is really sad right now too.

Twice in the past few days someone has asked me, "Do you know what the worst day is?" One was a friend from work and he answered his own question, "the day we start daylight savings time." The other person was Jack. He said the worst day is the day before school starts.

I didn't say anything when they asked that question, but my mind was shouting "October 25!" I think that is the worst day until December comes around and then it is definitely December 11.

The Cardinals are in the World Series. We are pulling for them. I hope Aunt Jen gets to go to some games. She went to one of the Championship games. I don't know if Cousin Hannah and Uncle Dan got to go.

Hey, I wanted to tell you a funny story. We were telling Papa Teddy about Jack's saxophone lessons and he told us how we came to have the instrument. Your great-grandfather was a used car dealer in Brooklyn. He bought a car from someone or someone traded in a car and guess what they found in the trunk.

Dr. Auerbach was here last weekend. Joe, Jack, Mom and I took her out to dinner. It was great to see her. The next day Mom kept asking me if I was okay. I didn't know what she was talking about because I felt okay. She said I looked sad.

Later on when I was thinking about what might have made me look sad I thought back to Dr. Auerbach's visit. She told us that they were having a lot of success with Fanconi transplants -- the toughest cases, like yours -- now in New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Deep down I know I was thinking about "if only everything could have happened just one or two years later, maybe you would be alive."

You can't think that way too much, but you also can't shut those thoughts out.

I love you.

Ray Charles died last week. He (among others) sings "Over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz. I always cry when I listened to that song. Once we were driving outside of Cleveland - I think we were on our way to Minnesota for transplant - and I was listening to a CD I made with that song on it and crying and crying. Mom and you guys were probably all asleep or something. I played a different version of that song for you in your room in the PICU. Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole is the guy who sang that one. I don't know if you heard it or heard anything. I hope you did.

They did a story on TV about how loud hospitals are and how it is hard to get better because of all of the noise. You can watch it.

We never got any sleep with all of the beeps and alarms going off all night. That was no fair. The story talks about that and also says that nice music helps you get better. We tried.

One thing that I want to do with the Hope for Henry Foundation is give XM radios to all the kids going through transplant. I think that XM Kids will be a lot of fun for any kid sitting in the hospital. Aside from fun songs like Poop Goes the Weasel, XM has bingo, just like the hospital bingo you used to play on Thursdays in Minnesota.

I went to Chicago this Saturday for the day last weekend. It was a meeting of Fanconi anemia families that raise money for research. Mom and I definitely think it is important to continue to help and make sure that it is easier on all families that come after us. I hear from Dr. Auerbach that Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York is having a lot of success with tough Fanconi anemia transplants.

I hadn’t really thought about the meeting much before I got there. When I walked in I was surprised to see Molly’s parents. I like hanging out with Molly’s dad, Jack. He is a super guy and I wish I talk to him more.

When we all went around the room to introduce ourselves, everyone said who they were, who they were married to and who were their children. When we got to me, I said I was Allen Goldberg, and I am married to Laurie Stronging, but I just couldn't say your name. It wouldn't come out. Tears were all ready to come out but not your name. I just couldn't do it. I pointed to the man next to me hoping he would just continue by introducing his family and he did. I am sorry. The thing I wanted people to know the most was that I am the father of Henry Strongin Goldberg, Jack Strongin Goldberg and Joe Strongin Goldberg.

They gave everyone who was there a handbook with ideas how to raise money. I looked through it and saw all of these things that we used to do.

One time Dr. D'Andrea came and spoke at Aunt Abby and Uncle Andy's house. Also, we did one of the first celebrity charity auction on Yahoo. And there was one fundraiser where everyone had dinners at their homes, invited friends, watched a video about you and then joined up later at Temple Sinai. That was a good one. You had a great time.



February 11, 1999, Thursday, Final Edition

For-Giving Technology

Shannon Henry

A Washington technology executive is using everything he's learned about computers and networks in a personal project that couldn't be more important: saving his son's life.

Allen Goldberg of VarsityBooks.com launched an online charity auction yesterday to raise money that will go toward researching Fanconi anemia, a rare disease that his 3-year-old son, Henry, has had since birth.

Hosted on Yahoo and running through Feb. 24, the auction is a philanthropic version of the now ubiquitous commercial online auctions. Yahoo entered the auctioneering business in September and has so far held 20 online charity events. It holds the auctions for free for those with a nonprofit status, says Karen Opp, Yahoo Auctions Producer.

Those who log on to Yahoo.com and click on its auctions section can bid on 100 or so items that Goldberg now has in his basement, including a jacket formerly owned by singer Mary Chapin Carpenter and a tennis racket signed by Gabriela Sabatini.

Goldberg hopes the auction will raise $ 7,000 to $ 10,000, all of it to go to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund in Eugene, Ore. "It lets us reach as many people as possible," says Goldberg.

When Henry was born and diagnosed with the disease, Goldberg, then Webmaster at the National Association of Broadcasters, used the Internet to research what is still a little-known condition. Only 1,000 or so people, mostly children, have the disease. Soon after Henry's birth, Goldberg and his wife, Laurie Strongin, created a Web page, www.hsg.org, to keep friends and family updated on his health and encourage donations to the Oregon group. About $ 150,000 has so far been raised through the site.

Children with Fanconi anemia are usually born with myriad birth defects. The genetic condition can cause bone-marrow failure; the life expectancy for a child with Henry's type of the disease is four years.

"The clock is ticking," says Goldberg.

We went to see Sharon this weekend. She was in from Israel. We went with Sharon to see Dr. Auerbach. It reminded me of the start of everything. We visited Dr. Auerbach at her lab at Rockefeller University. Dr. Auerbach is who figured out you had Fanconi anemia. Sharon, Mom, Dr. Auerbach and I sat around and talked about genetics, Fanconi anemia, cancer and everyone's families.



From Rockefeller you could see Cornell University Hospital. That is where Mom kept trying to have a baby to be your donor. You were a patient there once, too.



Then we went to dinner. It was very nice.



Mom and Sharon bought matching rings. Like Mom, Sharon has written a book about saving Amitai's life. The book is in Hebrew. I'll have to wait for it to be translated into English, or maybe Jack can read it to me.



Amitai is doing great. Alma, like Adam Nash, is a very special kid. What a wonderful thing to have saved your brother or sister's life. They will have an extraordinary bond their entire lives. It will be interesting to know them when they all grow up. I hope Jack gets to know Amitai.



When we got up and went out to breakfast this morning it was cold, very cold. I think the only New Yorkers who are excited about how cold it is are the Penguins at the Central Park Zoo.

I have fond memories of taking you and Jack to watch the penguins and the polar bears and the snow monkeys. We could have sat and watched the penguins forever jumping in and out of the water. The other night I was sitting in bed with Joe trying to get him ready to fall asleep and I thought of showing him some sleeping animals to get him in the mood. We visited the penguins in Central Park online and it was dark so you couldn't see them. I told Joe that they already had "lights out." Penguin Cam, Central Park Zoo



I thought of you every mile from New York to Washington. I thought about the hope we had each time we packed you and Jack in the car and left Cornell Hospital and the Helmsley Tower behind us. I made sure not to head toward Hackensack because that is my natural reflex. I remembered throwing Cheerios from the driver's seat to you and Jack in back on the Jersey Turnpike just like you were the sea lions at the central park zoo getting their fish thrown to them. I took this photo on one of our visits there.



Here are shots of you in the Tisch petting zoo part of the Central Park Zoo.





I could feel you behind me when I passed 695 in Baltimore which took us back and forth from Johns Hopkins 3 days a week. Mom said we did a lot of driving. We did.

It's snowing really hard now at home. Jack is pretty sure there won't be school tomorrow and I think he is right. I missed him and Jack a lot while we were gone.

Dear Henry:

Speaking of courage changing the world...

A Miracle 'Baby Hope'
CBS News 48 Hours
July 11, 2003

Hunter Kelley, 7, is on pins and needles as he awaits the arrival of his new baby brother. His very life may depend on it. Correspondent Susan Spencer reports.

Randy and Christie Kelley of Birmingham, Ala., have just what they've always wanted - a houseful of boys. First came Taylor, then Hunter and finally Parker.

Everything seemed perfect until Hunter turned 5.

"He'd always been small, so we kind of questioned that," says Hunter's father, Randy. "And his blood counts were deteriorating."

At his annual check-up, routine tests showed Hunter's white and red blood cell counts were dangerously low. So doctors ran more tests.

The diagnosis? Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disease in which the bone marrow fails to produce healthy blood cells, leading to infection, cancer and ultimately, death.

"Very rarely did children make it to adulthood," says Randy. "The average life span is between 8 years old and 12 years old. So it was pretty bleak."

When they married, the Kelleys had no reason at all to think that one, much less both of them, would carry the Fanconi gene.

So the Kelleys sought out Dr. John Wagner at the University of Minnesota, one of the few Fanconi experts in the country. "Most of the children who are left untreated will die of bone marrow failure," says Wagner. "For those that live long enough, they'll develop leukemia."

In fact, Wagner told the Kelleys the disease is so rare that Hunter was lucky his doctor even recognized it.

Now, a bone marrow transplant is the only answer. And Wagner would have done one two years ago if he had found a match. The best prospects for donors were brothers Taylor or Parker, but they were not Hunter's match.

The Kelleys then turned to a bone marrow registry, where the odds of a transplant succeeding were only 1 in 5.

"We still knew that the best chance of his survival was to have a sibling match," says Randy. "We found out there was a way to get one."

They decided to have another baby created in the lab from Christie's eggs and Randy's sperm - by only using embryos that had been genetically screened to be healthy and a perfect match for Hunter. The Kelleys knew this was a long shot. It had only worked for one family.

"We just need a baby that matched my blood so we can have help for me," says Hunter.

Meanwhile, Hunter looks good and seems to feel fine, but everyone is very aware that with his disease, time is a relentless enemy.

It's too risky to go to school given the risk of infection, so Hunter works with a tutor at home - waiting until his new brother arrives.

"We knew that it would not be easy, that the odds were against us," says Hunter's mother, Christie. "But we had to try."

In creating a made-to-order baby, nothing could be left to chance. The Kelleys turned to Andrew Toledo, an Atlanta infertility specialist now faced with a challenge - to produce a baby with the same blood and tissue type as Hunter.

Embryologists used a controversial and cutting-edge technique known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, to select only embryos with just the right stuff.

But PGD makes some ethicists very nervous because it has implications well beyond just screening for disease. For example, the same technology would have let the Kelleys screen for a girl, or look for physical traits such as hair and eye color.

But the Kelleys had less than a 20 percent chance of producing a matched healthy embryo. They succeeded three times, but Christie couldn't get pregnant.

Insurance covered much of their cost, but many families aren't so lucky. "It's technology for people that can find the financial resources that will allow them to do it," says Wagner.

Finally, more than a year after Hunter's diagnosis and after six months of trying, both embryos took - disease free and perfect matches - twins. But early in the second trimester, the Kelleys lost one of the twins. They were left with one baby with a big responsibility.

"We call this our special baby," says Christie. "This baby is being sent here to us to help him get well."

Every detail of this delivery has been planned for months. And if all goes well, doctors will use blood from the baby's umbilical cord for Hunter's bone marrow transplant - a perfect match.

Cells from the cord should "take" and grow, giving Hunter a healthy new immune system.

Randy is taking no chances. He will hand deliver the blood 1,000 miles from Alabama to Minnesota to be processed for the procedure.

"This is one thing that's going to help save Hunter's life and I want to protect that with my life," says Randy.

During the delivery, Hunter stands at the interior door of the hospital room, waiting and seeming to understand the enormity of the moment. Cooper Graham Kelley is born, and it's clear that he's in perfect shape.

After the delivery, Randy delivers his precious cargo to the University of Minnesota Lab. The actual transplant won't happen for several weeks, but Cooper's perfectly matched blood will be waiting.

Now, it's Hunter's turn. Randy has set up an apartment in Minnesota, and he plans to keep up with his sales job at Kraft Foods via computer - while watching over his son.

The Kelleys won't be together for long. Once Hunter's treatment starts, brothers Taylor and Parker will have to go back to Alabama to stay with Christie's family.

Hunter will undergo a week of powerful drugs that will wipe out his damaged immune system, clearing a way for a healthy new one built with his baby brother's blood.

But it's a huge gamble. Hunter's immune system is about to be totally destroyed, leaving him defenseless against infection.

Randy also worries that this frightening experience will somehow change his son. "Will it kill his spirit," he asks. "Will he be the same cart-wheeling, baseball playing Hunter that I had before?"

Hunter celebrates his 8th birthday on the transplant ward soon after he begins chemotherapy - and the treatment has started to take a toll on him. Four days after his birthday, it's transplant day at last.

"This is the start of what we hope is a healthy life for Hunter," says Christie.

But the coming weeks will be difficult. Hunter's small body will have to adjust to both the drugs and the transplant. On Day 21, they will know if the gift of life from brother has helped save the other.

"He's going in for a bone marrow biopsy," says Randy. "Nervous for how Hunter's going to feel when he comes out of it."

With Hunter under anesthesia, Dr. Wagner takes a sample of bone marrow from his spine. The news is astonishing. The transplant worked - and worked so well that Hunter can now leave the hospital and be reunited with his brothers, family, neighbors and friends.

"We are by no means out of the woods," says Randy. "He can still get fever or infections, but we feel happy because we've come so far this quickly."

"The chances are in his favor that he will do well and be back to normal in the not-so-distant future," says Dr. Wagner.

© MMIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I posted this email on here back in May, but I'm putting it back up to show you again. It is really nice. They seem like a great family. I am betting Hunter is going to do really well. He and Cooper are both very special boys. Here is a photo of Hunter fishing.



From: "Kelley, Randy C"
To: "Lauriestrongin (E-mail)"
Subject: Thank you Henry
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 10:21:22 -0500


Dear Allen and Laurie,

I don't think you know me but boy I sure know you and Henry. I have been struggling with the right time to write this letter. I am the father of Hunter Kelley. Hunter too has FA. On March 15th 2000 Hunter was diagnosed.

I am not going to tell you the feeling because I think you already know. For a year and a half we searched for answers as to how to help Hunter. We attended a FA Family meeting in Sept. of 2000, mainly to meet Dr. Wagner. While at the meeting we learned for the first time about PGD. We had no idea this opportunity existed and soon found out it didn't' for us. In Oct. 2000 we went to U of Minn. for a bone marrow harvest, Hunter's cellularity at the time was 50%. During this visit we met the Nash's and even went to the Mall of America with them. We wanted so badly to try the PGD but it wasn't available to FA (A) at the time. In Oct. of 2001 we learned that FA (A) had been typed by Dr. Auerbach and that PGD was now available to FA (A) patients. It was about this time my wife (Christie) read your New York Times Magazine article. We immediately decided we had to give PGD a try. After 4 cycles and many ups and downs we got pregnant.

Eggs were implanted on Easter Sunday of 2002. On Dec. 9th Cooper Kelley was born. A perfect match for Hunter. On January 21 Hunter underwent a Sibling Matched Cord Blood Transplant at the U of Minn. Today we are back in Birmingham and Hunter is outside shooting basketball. We realize he is by no means out of the woods, but to this point he is doing great.

The reason for writing this letter is to thank you and especially thank Henry. You see if we had never read that NY Times article we would have never tried PGD. Hunter was to the point he needed a transplant and we didn't have long. You determination to succeed at PGD gave us inspiration.

Henry did not die in vain. Henry is a pioneer that has and is saving Lives everyday. I can only imagine what it is like to loose a son. Hopefully you can find some comfort in knowing without a doubt you and your son helped save our son's life.

The TV show 48 hrs. has followed our story from beginning to end. We are not sure when it will air, if ever. Hopefully it too will help someone see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Henry Goldberg your sacrifice has saved many.

Randy Kelley
CBM - Kraft Foods

You go boy!

Dad

Dear Henry:

This was sent to me and Mom but I think it was really meant for you.

From: "Kelley, Randy C"
To: "Lauriestrongin (E-mail)"
Subject: Thank you Henry
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 10:21:22 -0500

Dear Allen and Laurie,

I don't think you know me but boy I sure know you and Henry. I have been struggling with the right time to write this letter. I am the father of Hunter Kelley. Hunter too has FA. On March 15th 2000 Hunter was diagnosed.

I am not going to tell you the feeling because I think you already know. For a year and a half we searched for answers as to how to help Hunter. We attended a FA Family meeting in Sept. of 2000, mainly to meet Dr. Wagner. While at the meeting we learned for the first time about PGD. We had no idea this opportunity existed and soon found out it didn't' for us. In Oct. 2000 we went to U of Minn. for a bone marrow harvest, Hunter's cellularity at the time was 50%. During this visit we met the Nash's and even went to the Mall of America with them. We wanted so badly to try the PGD but it wasn't available to FA (A) at the time. In Oct. of 2001 we learned that FA (A) had been typed by Dr. Auerbach and that PGD was now available to FA (A) patients. It was about this time my wife (Christie) read your New York Times Magazine article. We immediately decided we had to give PGD a try. After 4 cycles and many ups and downs we got pregnant.

Eggs were implanted on Easter Sunday of 2002. On Dec. 9th Cooper Kelley was born. A perfect match for Hunter. On January 21 Hunter underwent a Sibling Matched Cord Blood Transplant at the U of Minn. Today we are back in Birmingham and Hunter is outside shooting basketball. We realize he is by no means out of the woods, but to this point he is doing great.

The reason for writing this letter is to thank you and especially thank Henry. You see if we had never read that NY Times article we would have never tried PGD. Hunter was to the point he needed a transplant and we didn't have long. You determination to succeed at PGD gave us inspiration.

Henry did not die in vain. Henry is a pioneer that has and is saving Lives everyday. I can only imagine what it is like to loose a son. Hopefully you can find some comfort in knowing without a doubt you and your son helped save our son's life.

The TV show 48 hrs. has followed our story from beginning to end. We are not sure when it will air, if ever. Hopefully it too will help someone see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Henry Goldberg your sacrifice has saved many.

Randy Kelley
CBM - Kraft Foods

You are the man.

Dad

Dear Henry:

Sorry I haven't written but I have been helping Mom with something she was writing on the computer. She wrote a presentation to make to a bunch of really important people today. She talked about what we did to try to have another baby that had healthy blood to give to you. We want to make sure other families get a chance to do what we did and hopefully it will work for them. A lot of President Bush's guys were there and Dr. Rosenwaks, Dr. Auerbach and Mark Hughes were all there too. They miss you so much. I don't know if you remember Mark. We went to lunch one day with him at Mom's old college, "M Go Blue." His wife died when he was working with us and he went to his laboratory right after her funeral to help us. He is such a good person, and he told me today that he is so sorry that he couldn't save your life. He tried so hard and so did me and Mom. I am so sorry too. It was a little weird and nice and hard to see our friend Sharon who was here for the same meeting. Do you remember the meetings you used to go to with me at the coffee place by the Gan and David Segal's apartment. You were very helpful, you know that. Well, Sharon came here from Tel Aviv for this meeting with Mom and all of the doctors. You probably remember when we saw Sharon in New York with her husband Yavin and their little boy Amitai. He had the same problem with his blood that you had. Sharon -- you say "Shah-rown" the way you say the Hebrew words you learned in school -- had a baby with the help of Mark and Dr. Rosenwaks and her name is Alma. Doctors in Israel gave Amitai some of Alma's blood the same way you got your new blood in Minnesota from Beverly. It looks like Amitai is going to be okay and not have any of the problems you had. When Sharon spoke today to the doctors, she said that Henry Strongin Goldberg saved Amitai's life. You did. That is the best thing that any person can do. Saving someone's life and loving people are the greatest things we can ever do and you did both. I am proud of you.

We will go visit Sharon and her family in Israel some time. I am sorry that you never saw Jerusalem. It is so beautiful. Yavin and Sharon planted a small grove of trees on a hill overlooking Jerusalem in your honor.

I want to show you an email that Mom and I got from one of the teachers who helped in Aunt Tracey's class.

Dear Laurie and Allen.

Dec.31, 2002

My name is Elizabeth Aloni, teacher at Gan Ha Yeled at Adas Israel (the
Chicks class). Last year, in a shabbat class celebration Henry came
over as a special guest for Sam Strongin's. That was a very special day for all
of us, the little ones were observing all Henry's motions and inputs.
Anyway G-d bless his memory. What I want to tell you is that on that day, when
we passed the Tzedakah box to collect pennies for charity, Henry said
"this is very important, we should give this money to the poor children in
Africa or Afganistan...."

That was very sweet of you. You always thought of others (starting with me, Mom, Jack and Joe) and that was really nice and really grown up of you.

It has been snowing a lot around here lately. You know the sun hasn't really shone since you died. There is a great song that says, "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone." I feel that way about you. I am not sure if the sun hasn't come out or I just feel that way. I feel like it makes sense the sun isn't shining, but I will be okay when it does finally come out.

I am going to try and go to sleep now. Mom has one more day at the meeting tomorrow. I missed her a lot when she was there today and I was home. When I am away from her I get more sad about you, but that isn't a terrible thing really. I see you in Joe a lot of the time. That helps. I don't confuse you guys though. There was a Rabbi at the meeting today and he told a story about how he remembered a thing so clearly that happened when he was 6 or 7 years old. He looked like he was in his 70s so that made me feel good. It made me think that my memories of you will be clear in my mind too when I am in my 60s, 70s and 80s.

I love you big guy.

Dad

p.s. Jack, otherwise known as Sir Burpsalot, is sleeping in our bed tonight and he cannot stop yakking even though everyone is trying to fall asleep. You were always like that too. Oh my god. Whenever I wanted to go to sleep you would just talk, talk, talk. The later it was the more you had to say. It was that way in the car, at the hospital everywhere. You know, thanks for doing that. I didn't know it then but it let us spend more time together. As for right now, I don't want to go to sleep, I don't want to say goodnight to you. I love you so, so much.