The Wake

Note: This 'series' begins with Life is Precious. Catch up on the right, starting there and working up if you're just starting. Loyal readers, both of you, can catch up, too, since I'm posting a bunch at once.

I remember planning my Dad's services. My Mom didn't want a wake. "Nobody will come," she said.

More than 200 people showed up.

Growing consensus was that Tim's was going to be significant. It was. And then some.

One of the local papers put the obits online and creates a virtual guest book for people to leave condolences. Tim's was up to more than five pages long -- mostly from his work colleagues. That was just incredible to see. We knew they were going to show up -- but were amazed at the actual turn out, both at the wake and again at the funeral. It really showed us a great deal about Tim and the lives he touched.

The wake was from 5 to 8 p.m. It was almost non stop the entire time, save for the last half hour or so. More than 400 people came to pay their respects. More than 400! My friends, Lynn's friends, Tom's friends, Mom's friends, Sue's friends, Marc's friends, Brendan's friends. Just unreal.

Probably 75 people from Tim's work came. They travelled more than 90 minutes to be here. One guy even came from New Hampshire. All had glowing words about my brother. Again, it was just incredible.

We laughed a lot. It was comforting.

My sister and I were standing next to each other, trying to figure out who was who in line. Then we had to say a number of times that we were brother and sister, not husband and wife. That was funny.

We were keeping track of some of our favorite lines throughout the night -- including one guy who came right up to Lynn and said, "Good to see you. Who are you?" We just cracked up.

Then there was this guy who leaned in to kiss Lynn. I was like, Who's kissing my sister? I had no idea. She had no idea. Turns out it was our neighbor from across the street while growing up. Neither of us recognized him.

Renee and Erin were there. It was Renee's first time to really be a part of this, besides dealing with me during the course of the ordeal, and keeping our homelife in order. Erin was the star of the show, everyone wanting to see the new little one who was bringing so much needed joy during such a horrible time in our family.

We were exhausted afterwards. Three hours on our feet, 400 people. It was a lot. But it was good. It was, dare I say it, fun. We learned so much. We heard so much about the good time brought to a lot of people.

And, jeez, as I say that I forgot one other element that I should have mentioned earlier.

We had heard a couple days earlier about the organ donation process.

They were using Tim's liver for research. But, more importantly, two patients got a new kidney because of him.

That was the best news. I wonder if someday we'll learn more about those people. But that's not nearly as important as them learning one day about the person whose kidney they now have.