Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Like Yesterday


My Dad, Robert Kosloski, died four years ago today. October 10, 2002. He died of a rare form of thyroid cancer called Hurthle Cell carcinoma. He was only 51 years old.

I'm one of the lucky few whose two best friends were his parents. I lost one of them that day, and now, four years later, I still reach for the phone to call him all the time.

My Dad was a diehard fan of the Detroit Tigers, so having them three wins away from the World Series right now has a little added significance for me. If you don't have a rooting interest in the A's or the NL teams, maybe you'd consider adopting the Tigers. For Rob.

This is what I said at his funeral:
    Heaven got lucky last Thursday. Because on that day, Rob Kosloski showed up. And any place is a better place when my dad’s there. He has a way of brightening up a room the second he walks in. He becomes the center of attention without ever trying to be. That’s because he radiates with love and happiness. Some of you may not have known this, but my dad always wanted to be an architect. He loved the idea of designing and building things. The thing is, he did build things. Relationships. Look around you. Look at all of the people in here. To my father, nothing is more important than family. And if you are a friend, you are family. Everyone loves my dad. And he deserves it. He’s kind. He’s generous. He’s funny. He’s the king of the smart alecks. And he’s always there for you, no matter who you are. And for me, how could I have ever asked for a better father. When I wrote, he read my words. When I acted, he came to see my plays. When I played music, he came to listen. Now I’m 33 years old, and you know what I do for a living? I write. I act. I play music. He encouraged me. He supported me. He’s proud of me, and he let me know it. So today, I mourn the loss of my father. But more importantly, I celebrate his life. The life we were all lucky enough to share with him. Because right now he’s up in heaven with Grandma, Aunt Adeline, Aunt Regina, Uncle Billy, Aunt Elda, Aunt Olga, Bobby Shepke, Gerald Kubbe and every other friend and relative who went before him. He’s up there laughing in that gigantic reunion in the sky. And they’re all thrilled to death to have him because finally, they've got someone to organize the bowling tournament and golf outing. So do this for me … for my dad. Think about what you’re building. The relationships. In the end, that’s all that’ll matter. And that’s what my dad did best. I love you dad. Have fun.


READ HALOSCAN COMMENTS.

No comments: