Folks…
   Just a short post now. Thanks to everyone for such a wonderful Celebration of Sam’s life last night at Memorial Auditiorium. The music and the thoughts were absolutely amazing. I feel we really gave Sam the send off he needed.  There’s a reallty great write up about the event in this morning’s Burlington Free Press.. it’s on the front page of the Vermont seciton. Though the article says 500, we estimate that there were more than 800 folks there.  It was both wonderful and incredibly sad to watch the program last night. I was so proud of my Sam was such an amazing kid. We were so moved by everything we saw and heard..  and the many folks.. some from very far away.. who made the trip to be with us. I was so very proud of Max and Gabe for their role in the program. Max really was the best spokesman for our family’s feelings. Thanks SO much to all of our family and friends who planned and m,anaged the event.. and cared for us in the neary 2 weeks since Sam’s death. We will be forever greatful for the love and support we’ve recvived….
  We were all so filled up by last nights service..As Diane said in the closing.. we were able to feel some level of Joy again. There was a small gathering at our house after the Celibration. Then we slept well. .Diane and I woke today  to an empty house. Both Gabe and Max slept at friends houses last night. Arount 8:30 Mark O’brien of Giffords showed up at the house with Sam’s ashes.   Another very sad time. This will be the rythm of our lives..  for the next year or so great saddness with spots of happiness mixed in. 
   
Again.. thank you all for helpign us give Sam the send off we needed to give him. As promised.. ehre are the lyrics for the songs that were played last night. I’ll try to get the lyrics for the Song max wrote as well..
Thanks again to everyone
-jc

“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd – played by Nate Kenney and Kevin Cafferky

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

“For Good” from Wicked sung by Elsa McLaughlin and Mariah Martin

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba) It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend…

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

(Glinda) Because I knew you

(Both) I have been changed for good

(Elphaba) And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the thing I’ve done you blame me for

(Glinda) But then, I guess we know
There’s blame to share

(Both) And none of it seems to matter anymore

(Glinda) Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

(Elphaba) Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

(Both) Who can say if I’ve been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

(Glinda) And because I knew you…

(Elphaba) Because I knew you…

(Both) Because I knew you…
I have been changed for good.

“If I Could” by Phish
 
Take me to another place, she said
Take me to another time
Run with me across the oceans
Float me on a silver cloud

If I could I would, but I dont know how
If I could I would, but I dont know how
If I could I would and Id take you now

Stay with me till time turns over
I want to feel my feet leave the ground
Take me where the whispering breezes
Can lift me up and spin me around

If I could I would…
Hear you laughing as we go
Flipping backward through the doors and through the windows…
Im melting into nothing

If I could I would, but I dont know how
If I could I would, but I dont know how
If I could I would and Id take you now

Lithium by Nirvana

I’m so happy ’cause today
I’ve found my friends …
They’re in my head
I’m so ugly, but that’s okay, ’cause so are you …
We’ve broken our mirrors (Alt: We broke our mirrors)
Sunday morning is everyday for all I care …
And I’m not scared
Light my candles, in a daze
‘Cause I’ve found god
Hey, hey hey x6

I’m so lonely, but that’s okay, I shaved my head …
And I’m not sad
And just maybe I’m to blame for all I’ve heard …
But I’m not sure
I’m so excited, I can’t wait to meet you there …
But I don’t care
I’m so horny, but that’s okay …
My will is good
Hey, hey hey x6

x2
I like it – I’m not gonna crack
I miss you – I’m not gonna crack
I love you – I’m not gonna crack
I killed you – I’m not gonna crack

I’m so happy ’cause today
I’ve found my friends …
They’re in my head
I’m so ugly, but that’s okay, ’cause so are you …
We’ve broken our mirrors (Alt: We broke our mirrors)
Sunday morning is everyday for all I care …
And I’m not scared
Light my candles in a daze …
‘Cause I’ve found god
Hey, hey hey x6

x2
I like it – I’m not gonna crack
I miss you – I’m not gonna crack
I love you – I’m not gonna crack
I killed you – I’m not gonna crack

Keepsake – by State Radio – sung by Jane Kier and Avery Lavoie

One gonna heal my body another gonna heal my pain
One gonna settle me down then bring me back up again

I m gonna put my family back together again

One gonna hold my woman another gonna hold my job
One gonna help me get up, another gonna help me stop

One gonna help me talk right, one gonna lay me down to sleep

(Humming)

One gonna hold my thoughts and another gonna hold my bones
One gonna keep me warm and another gonna keep me cold

One gonna bring religon, right from a Coleman stove
One gonna help me keep em  another gonna help me tame

One gonna run me down (Hell a bullets in my way)

You re gonna keep my soul it was yours to have long ago

(humming)

I m gonna buckle my belt around the ceiling pipe
I m gonna buckle my knees and I m gonna lock em  up tight

I m gonna hold a pen while you drag my arm across the page

One gonna hold my memories another gonna close the door
One gonna leave me restless another wanting more

You re gonna keep my soul it was yours to have long ago

(Humming)

Wayward Son by Jeff Demis – played by Skanky Green

Generation X
Where is your amibition?
You are blinded
By your shelter
Prioritize, conformitize
Make something of yourself
The real world preys
Upon a slacker

I know this life’s
No bed of roses
One thorn for every
Heart and soul
Excuse me if I make the
Best of my disaster
And despite your dearest slander
Im no wayward son

Our parents tell us we’re
their future
And thus far it’s
Not lookin so bright
Education, motivation
Determinate yourselves
We’ll need new leaders
To tell us who to fight

Spare me your
Corporate dogma
I want nothing of
Another’s blood
Politics fade
To lethal profiteering
And despite your dearest slander
Im no wayward son

Say what you will about
The life I’m living
But in the end
I have lived it
Can you truly say the same
For yourself?
And if the answer’s no,
Who’s the wayward son?

“If I Ever Leave This World Alive” by Flogging Molly -played by Max Cohn. Scott Crisman, Rusty Charpontier, Tyler Paulsen

If I ever leave this world alive
I’ll thank for all the things you did in my life
If I ever leave this world alive
I’ll come back down and sit beside your
feet tonight
Wherever I am you’ll always be
More than just a memory
If I ever leave this world alive

If I ever leave this world alive
I’ll take on all the sadness
That I left behind
If I ever leave this world alive
The madness that you feel will soon subside
So in a word don’t shed a tear
I’ll be here when it all gets weird
If I ever leave this world alive

So when in doubt just call my name
Just before you go insane
If I ever leave this world
Hey I may never leave this world
But if I ever leave this world alive

She says I’m okay; I’m alright,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would,
Now everything should be all right

She says I’m okay; I’m alright,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would,
Now everything should be all right
Yeah should be alright

“Waiting On An Angel” by Ben Harpur – played by Jeff Bassieolier

Waiting on an angel.
One to carry me home.
Hope you come to see me soon, cause I don’t want to go alone,
I don’t want to go alone.

Now angel won’t you come by me.
Angel hear my plea.
Take my hand, lift me up so that I can fly with thee,
so that I can fly with thee.

And I’m waiting on an angel.
And I know it won’t be long to find myself a resting place in my angel’s arms,
in my angel’s arms.

So speak kind to a stranger, cause you’ll never know, it just might be an angel come,
Oh- knockin’ at your door, Oh- knockin’ at your door.

And I’m waiting on an angel.
And I know it won’t be long to find myself a resting place in my angel’s arms,
Oh- in my angel’s arms.

Waiting on an angel.
One to carry me home.
Hope you come to see me soon, cause I don’t want to go alone,
I don’t want to go alone,
don’t want to go,
I don’t want to go alone.

Last night we held the benefit concert for Sam at the Monitor Barn in Richmond. It had been a tough day for us. There was so much activity in our house, but I just felt like being by myself.   Walking in to the Monitor Barn was really hard… but as I did I began to see (yet again) just how much the community was tehre helping us. Friends were standing out in the diving rain directing traffic, others were taking donations. others were cooking.. or handing out soda’s..others watching the doors,  We even had friends managing the mosh pit.  Max Hefernon, had printed shirts with Sam’s picture.. and the room was full of them. Imagine what it’s like to walk into a room and see your son’s picture on every dancing kid.. it was great.. and it was hard. The music was wonderful . Even so all I could do was lean in a corner and cry for the first half.. It was hardest to hear Sam’s band ‘Black Knight Vengance’ playing without him. If you know their music.. you’ll understand it’s not the kind to make you nostalgic.. but I was… (Ok.. that’s an understatement.. I was crying my eyes out)… they sounded great. I was really proud when my oldest son Max got up and did an acoustic number (“I’ll follow you into the dark” by death cab for cutie… sorry Sam 🙂 ). Max’s voice was claear and strong…and there for his brother.  Music is so important in our family. One big hope I have is that Sam’s friends keep coming  toour house and play now that he’s gone. I can’t lose Sam… and his music. Many folks came up to us as we listened…. I hope I wasn’t mean to anyone who came up to me… I needed to be there with my thoughts.
At the end of the show Max quieted the crowd for a minute of silence. I felt Sam all around me at theat point. it was very beautiful…..   As we left I found out that we’d had well over 400 folks there and between donations, food and shirts, we’d raised more than $5000 for Sam’s Fund…. That’s a really great start on the camp and snoowboarding scholarship’s we are setting up in his name. Thank you all so much !
     After the show…we went back to our house thinking we’d go to sleep.. but there were about 20 folks at the house. It was nice.. I don’t know what we’ll do when the company stops.  Today is the Celebration at Memorial Autditorium.. I hope that the weather doesn’t keep folks away. Diane and I need to figure out what we’re going to say when it’s our turn to talk.. What can you say ?    I guess we’ll find out. Love to all who are reading this and thanks for your comments.. this is part of getting back to O.K. for me…
-jc

Funny morning. Last night was the home visiting hours for Sam. The folks from Giffords brought Sam’s body here around 2. As I helped carry Sam’s coffin in to the house, my shirt got causght on the door and tore a bit.There’s an old Jewish custom of tearing your clothes while in mourning.  I took it as a cool sign of Sam  We had some quiet time with him until about 3 when people started showing up. The house was packed from about 3:30  until about 10:00 . There weere still people filtering in around midnight. By our quick counts of the guestbooks we had more than 800 folks come by to pay there respects to Sam. It was unlike anthing any of us expected. It was sad  and cool at the same time. It felt so great to be around so many folks who loved Sam. We loved  hearing so many stories of what a great kid Sam was.  The whole thing felt more like a party than a funeral. There were many kids in and out of the house… music and food everywhere. I was surprised how easy the kids found it to go in and ‘talk’ to Sam   There was just about as much laughing as there was crying.
   I was also amazed at how many folks from IBM drove or flew up from New York  to pay their respects. My friends at IBM have beenr eally wonderful to us duing this tough time.. you really can see that the company has a great soul when things like this happen.
   We finally had the house mostly clear at about 1:30 this morning. Several of Max’s friends sayed over with him. They slept in the room with Sam. We all slept well. At about 8 this morning the folks from Giffords came to take Sam to be cremated. We came togethr as a family and figure out what we wanted to go with him. We all wrote letters, tossed in guitar picks, cans of red bull, pictures,  and other things special to Sam. (You wonder what an archeologist in the future would make of the stuff )  We carried Sam out of the house and together watched him drive away for the last time.. I’ll never forget how that felt….      After a few quiet minutes life started to return to the house.. frends came over, food was cooking, music was back… life goes on… remarkably…  
    One interesting sidebar.. .in the continuing saga of electrical distubances around Sam’s death, the internet and phones all freaked out a few minutes after he left. All calls to the repair center give a ‘all circuits are busy’ recording.. (I’m typing this using my phone as a modem. )  I figure it’s just Sam doing his thing…
   We love you Sam.. we miss you so much

-jc
    

Today is the storm. Visiting hours start at 4 today and will last until everyone has been through the house. Sam’s will be here in both body and spirit. I feel this will be the hardest day yet.So many poeople want to say goodbye to Sam. We said our goodbyes a week ago… for many this is the first time.  People don’t know what to say to us and we don’t know what to say to them. One thing I’ve found is that it’s not the words that help. It’s the presense and the feeling. Diane has taught me a ‘trick’ to help get through greeting new people. As you hug someone, you can actually feel the other persons heart. I know it sounds funny, but that reassurance of life repeatesd a few hundered times is a really wonderful gift.
    Today will be filled with a wierd mix of the mundane and the profound… should we put out cookies ? how do we continue our lives ? Should the font on the program be in bold ? What will Sam’s birthday be like for us.  Sometimes it’s like a hazy unreal dream… sometimes it’s too sharp and real. Nothing is like this…. nothing. We see Sam in everything we see or touch.. As wierd as it sounds, I’m getting to my first plateau of peace abotu this. I like being surrounded by my son’s stuff and his pictures. I know he is here.
I hope that helps us get through the day.. If you’re reading this..  I hope you come by and visit us this afternoon. We love you Sam.
-jc