Soaring High... Beyond the Pain

In my last post, I mentioned that this one would be about purgatory. But that's still in the works so today I'm going to take a small detour to talk about two wonderful events that took place this past weekend.

Many times, when we lose a loved one, we tend to drown in the pain. We get angry at God for doing this to us. We go into isolation. We don't want to see or talk to anyone. All of these are normal feelings because after all, we are only human. But there comes a point, when a decision needs to be made. Do we continue on this path of self pity and self destruction or do we soar high in spite of the incredible pain that is consuming our hearts. I have met many families that chose the first path and they continue to live in anger, depression and isolation. But I have also met many families that choose to turn their pain into a tool to help others and what a difference that decision makes in their lives and the lives of those they touch.

This past weekend, many people were blessed to be in the receiving end of two such families. I have been touched by their remarkable journey of healing, hope and love. And even though I pray to God that I never have to walk in their shoes, they have taught me a big lesson about inner strength and about rising high beyond the grieving. The love that got spread this past weekend cannot be contained and it just needs to be shared. I can guarantee you that all of us that were touched by their love are soaring higher than all those people that have been camping on the streets of London waiting for the birth of another royal. We didn't have to go so far to feel the presence of the King in our midst.

The first event was hosted by the Pino-Jimenez family in honor of their beloved boy, Danny. It was a fundraiser to send care packages to our troops overseas through an organization known as Hero Box http://www.herobox.org. Danny's life was tragically cut short last September in an accident. Today, Danny is celebrating his 20th birthday in heaven. His family, with his amazing mom Peggy at the helm, want to make sure that Danny is never forgotten. And they have chosen a loving path to keep his memory alive. You see, Danny's dream was to become a soldier one day and defend our country. Since he was not able to achieve his dream here on earth, his dream is being fulfilled from heaven with the help of his warmhearted family. On Saturday, in celebration of Danny's birthday, they packed over 450 Hero Boxes. This is the third fundraiser they host in the seven months since Danny left us and they have brought a smile to more than 725 heroes. They have chosen an extraordinary way to honor their own hero in heaven. Danny's motto was: "Live your life the way that you want to be remembered." His family is living out his motto. They have created an incredible legacy in Danny's name through his foundation, PinoStrong Foundation. They have rallied an entire community behind Danny and they are touching hearts and changing lives. Danny could not make it to the army but Danny's army lives on. All because his family made the choice to soar high beyond their pain.

The second event was hosted by the Hernandez family. It was a fundraiser for Miami Children's Hospital https://www.mchf.org/ in memory of their baby boy, Nico. It was an event filled with love, laughter and color. It was a fashion show by children for the children. Nico left us when he was only three months old and most of that time he lived at Miami Children's Hospital. His family, led by his young and beautiful mom, Caro, made the choice to soar beyond their pain and they are keeping Nico's memory alive by giving back to the hospital that gave them so much in their time of need. They created a bereavement program at Miami Children's Hospital known as "Nico's Promise: A Journey of Hope and Healing," and through this program, many families who lose a child are being given comfort, support, hope, healing and lots of unconditional love. "Up, up and away," was the theme of the fashion show. What a fitting name for an event that made us soar with joy. In the words of Nico's grandmother, Alina: "I marvel at the beautiful memories of children dancing, giggling and celebrating as they bounced down a runway. Our hearts have been touched by an angel who continues to inspire us to love one another in ways that become apparent as we continue down this journey of hope and healing. Today I know that he wiggled his wings in delight as we honored and celebrated him... We will always love you, Nico." 

Many people spend a century on earth and they don't even leave a mark. Danny and Nico, in their short lives, touched many lives and they continue to impact the lives of many. They may have been with us for just a little while but their memory will forever live on. And I know that they are smiling down from heaven because their families chose to soar high beyond the pain.