Wifey's first friend upon moving to Miami in 1972 was Alissa -- a sweet, red headed Jewish girl who went to Killian High. Alissa gave Wifey the first love of her life: Sunshine, the adorable yellow dog who was middle aged when I met Wifey.
Alissa met Garth, and the two married young. When I met Alissa in 1984 or so, she was already married -- Garth worked for FPL as a nuclear power plant supervisor. They had 2 sons, a bit older than the Ds -- one is an IT guy and the other a UM trained pathologist.
Years ago, Wifey and I were at dinner at a local Italian place in Coral Springs, with my sister, bro in law, and cousins Jeff and Lynn. I noticed a few tables away was Garth enjoying a romantic dinner with a lady NOT his wife. I tried to get his attention -- Dude - take off -- but he came over with the woman. Wifey, soap opera-like, said "Garth! And ( )!" The woman was Alissa's close friend, who Wifey knew as the first rich girl she ever met --her Dad was a doctor in Coral Gables and had the first $1M house Wifey ever visited. I forget her name. Anyway, Garth said that he and Alissa had split up, and was now with her friend -- they ended up marrying.
Wifey called Alissa the next day, and the poor thing was in denial -- "just a phase." Still, she asked me for a divorce lawyer, and I sent her to my friend Jeannie, who reported that Alissa was very much in denial and wanted to just get divorced without alimony, etc...And so they did.
Alissa moved to Boynton Beach, and we last saw her probably 6 years ago, but kept in touch on FaceBook. Her oldest married a Filipina woman, and they have an adorable 9 year old.
Alissa reconnected with a junior high boyfriend from Kendall, Jamie, and the two began a long relationship. They broke up, but remained friends. We met Jamie one time -- at, I think, Roasters in Kendall. Nice guy -- had lived much of his life in LA, and moved back to South Florida.
Well this am I got a FB message, from Jamie. "David -- call about Alissa." I knew it wouldn't be happy news, and I was correct. She died this am, of cancer. Wifey and I were shocked.
I asked about her brother Mark, who was a retired teacher living in the family house off Galloway Road. We'd often run into Mark at Captain's Tavern, and even 2 Saturdays ago I looked around for him. That was futile: Jamie said Mark had died, at 70, last December, from prostate and bladder cancer he refused to get treated.
My thought was the only blessing was that their parents were both gone -- it is unimaginable to lose both your kids a few months apart.
We asked about Alissa's boys. Jamie told us Fate was not done with the family: the young doc was at UM post brain surgery for a tumor, and getting treatment now at Sylvester. Fortunately, Jamie said, it's a curable type of brain cancer, and Daniel is expected to recover.
Alissa's going to be buried in her family plot at Mt. Nebo. I told Jamie we were just there a few weeks ago for my father in law's yahrzeit. Jamie said he has many family members buried there, too.
So I guess we'll be going to a funeral by the end of the week. Wifey and I are still processing this.
I recall a talk I had with Alissa, probably 8 years ago. She no longer wished to drive on the highway, and so wasn't visiting her Mom in the nursing home. I told her she ought to re-think that, even though her brother was visiting often. She and her brother were close -- I warned her that a parent's death could well weaken a family rather than strengthen it -- take an Uber to visit, if she needed to. I don't know whether or not she did -- but all of them are gone now.
Barry loves to call me Obituary Dave, as my dark humor causes me to always be the first to share news of death to our group of friends. But learning what I did today was beyond even my very dark pale -- 2 siblings gone fairly young, and the young son fighting cancer?
I said a prayer to the Big Man, and hope I don't get anymore Messenger requests like today's.
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