I'm sure this is too personal for many on here but I don't really care. Saturday I lost the best man I've know and will miss and remember him always. I had the opportunity to help care for him and say my goodbyes at the end which has been helpful. He was the man the got me into racing and cars at the earliest age bringing me to local DIRT tracks ever since I was 3. He was the most positive, honest, forthright, man I've ever met and couldn't have asked for a better person as my Grandfather. No more pain, no more suffering, race on my friend, my Grampy. RIP.
I also had the opportunity to write him a letter that he was able to read before he was to unwell. I felt the need try and explain how much he meant to me and how much I loved him. Life is about family and true friends, not money or all the other bullshit. Letter is below...I'm sure for many it's TLDR material as are the first two paragraphs.
For My Grampy
In my opinion life is a lot about luck. I consider myself unimaginably lucky to have been born into this family you’re a BIG reason for that feeling. To have had a Grampy like you has been incredible, and I feel blessed beyond belief to have had the last 37 years with you in my life.
You gave me an amazing Mother that has given me a life and upbringing that I can only hope to give my children. You gave me Aunts and Uncles that I love and respect along with a lifetime of incredible memories with the hopes of many more to come. Finally, you married a woman (crazy as she is J ) that was just as awesome as you all these years. The funny stories and learning moments that came from the family you gave will be with me always.
One of my most vivid childhood memories is rolling down the basement stairs at the house you built with your own hands. You may not believe I remember that but I really do! After that it’s mostly a blur though….most likely from bouncing off the basement wall when I made it to the bottom J . Seriously, though I will always remember the anticipation I felt every time I got to come over to the house for a sleepover because of all the people I’d see, the fun I’d have and the late night ice cream or pie I’d have with you or Gram.
Besides ice cream, and being exposed to the crazy brood you put on this Earth, I know damn well where my love of fast cars came from! Two guys that worked for Ford and their wives’ love of fast cars was a good starting point. But most of what made me a ‘car guy’ came from you taking the time to bring me to the races. All while trying to get me in free as often as possible while smuggling your Genesee under my arm in the blanket I’d carry….Hell who would suspect a kid of bringing beer into Fonda or Malta? (I was laughing aloud as I typed that) Looking back though you had to save money on the way in just to cover my food bill for the night whenever I got the pleasure of going to the races with you.
The memories of dirt flying while CD, Jumpin’ Jack, Lou Lazarro, Dave Lape, Racin’ Ray Dalmonna, the Romano brothers, Pat Ward, Timmy Dwyer, Manyard Farrette, Jack Cottrell, and so many others will live with me forever. I hope I can give my son what you gave me. I was always so excited to go with my Grampy to the races…..there was nothing like it. Honestly, even at my age I get the same feeling when I’ve gotten to go with you over the years, it makes me feel like that little boy again. But most of all, looking back it’s always been just because I was spending the time with you. I’m so glad I was able to give that to Keira and Ryker this past year….Ryker even asked if we could go to the races again when it gets warm.
I’ll always remember waking up the morning after we’d go to the track and asking you how we got home because I always fell asleep. You’d always give me some crazy story that the cops had to bring us home or you had to hitchhike to get us back to the house. Looking back the reality of you having to carry my ass from the truck must have been a nightmare the older I got. Luckily for you, I was a skinny little shit until college. I’ll never forget the rides out the track either….it always seemed do far away as I sat in the front looking for exit 28 as a kid.
I always wanted to get there faster! I’m not sure you remember this but I remember being in the front middle of the seat in the red and white F-150 that’s still sitting on your hill. You had the cruise control set to 72 and I thought to myself that we need to get there as fast as possible. So I noticed that your foot was off the gas because the cruise was set so I slid my foot over and slowly pushed the gas pedal further and further until the needle of the speedometer was buried all the way to the right. I held my foot there as long as I could until it was so tired I had to let off. As we both felt the truck decelerate you looked down at the needle and said ‘Jesus Christ!’ I laughed out loud because I knew the jig was up! And instead of yelling at me you said that you wondered why we were passing everyone so fast because you had the cruise set….I think you were a little proud of me because I put the hammer down….or maybe just really luck that we didn’t get a ticket for 100+ in a 55 because that was still the limit back then. J
You instilled the need for speed in me. I remember going into the pits every week and you always putting your hand on the tires of the MIGHTY modifieds to see if they were still warm after the main was over. I remember you bringing me to meet all the drivers and how exciting it was to meet my heroes after watching them drive there asses off week after week. I remember it all like it happened last week, I could go on for days just talking about going to the races with you.
But my luck didn’t end there. I had all of the amazing experiences attached to having grandparents that camped all summer long. The memories at Deer Run which seemed to be half way across the country to a young boy who unknowingly was camping on a few acres in good ol’ Schaghticoke NY. Getting to have the freedom of riding my bike all day, fishing, playing bocce ball, going to the arcade, swimming, or just enjoying the trails or whatever other mischief I could find. I can’t thank you Gram, or my parents enough for those days, they were some of the best of my life. Sleeping the top bunk was always a challenge mostly because of your LEGENDARY snoring bellowing below me as I tried to sleep J . But who the Hell needs sleep at that age anyway.
I wanted to write this letter to let you know how appreciative I am for the Grandfather you’ve been to me. The countless memories swirling my head bring a smile to my face every time they surface. I’m lucky to have them and I always will. I’m like to have a man like you in my life that I call my Grampy. And most of all I want you to know how much I love you and how much you’ve meant to me over the years. I haven’t said it enough and I can’t say it enough now. I suppose a bit of that quiet, stoic, even keel aura that I’ve always seen in you rubbed off a little over the years. I thank you for all of it because I’m incredibly lucky to have had a life that’s included someone like you. I love you more than you’ll ever know Grampy.
I love you with all my heart and soul,
Your First Grandson
Ernie
I also had the opportunity to write him a letter that he was able to read before he was to unwell. I felt the need try and explain how much he meant to me and how much I loved him. Life is about family and true friends, not money or all the other bullshit. Letter is below...I'm sure for many it's TLDR material as are the first two paragraphs.
For My Grampy
In my opinion life is a lot about luck. I consider myself unimaginably lucky to have been born into this family you’re a BIG reason for that feeling. To have had a Grampy like you has been incredible, and I feel blessed beyond belief to have had the last 37 years with you in my life.
You gave me an amazing Mother that has given me a life and upbringing that I can only hope to give my children. You gave me Aunts and Uncles that I love and respect along with a lifetime of incredible memories with the hopes of many more to come. Finally, you married a woman (crazy as she is J ) that was just as awesome as you all these years. The funny stories and learning moments that came from the family you gave will be with me always.
One of my most vivid childhood memories is rolling down the basement stairs at the house you built with your own hands. You may not believe I remember that but I really do! After that it’s mostly a blur though….most likely from bouncing off the basement wall when I made it to the bottom J . Seriously, though I will always remember the anticipation I felt every time I got to come over to the house for a sleepover because of all the people I’d see, the fun I’d have and the late night ice cream or pie I’d have with you or Gram.
Besides ice cream, and being exposed to the crazy brood you put on this Earth, I know damn well where my love of fast cars came from! Two guys that worked for Ford and their wives’ love of fast cars was a good starting point. But most of what made me a ‘car guy’ came from you taking the time to bring me to the races. All while trying to get me in free as often as possible while smuggling your Genesee under my arm in the blanket I’d carry….Hell who would suspect a kid of bringing beer into Fonda or Malta? (I was laughing aloud as I typed that) Looking back though you had to save money on the way in just to cover my food bill for the night whenever I got the pleasure of going to the races with you.
The memories of dirt flying while CD, Jumpin’ Jack, Lou Lazarro, Dave Lape, Racin’ Ray Dalmonna, the Romano brothers, Pat Ward, Timmy Dwyer, Manyard Farrette, Jack Cottrell, and so many others will live with me forever. I hope I can give my son what you gave me. I was always so excited to go with my Grampy to the races…..there was nothing like it. Honestly, even at my age I get the same feeling when I’ve gotten to go with you over the years, it makes me feel like that little boy again. But most of all, looking back it’s always been just because I was spending the time with you. I’m so glad I was able to give that to Keira and Ryker this past year….Ryker even asked if we could go to the races again when it gets warm.
I’ll always remember waking up the morning after we’d go to the track and asking you how we got home because I always fell asleep. You’d always give me some crazy story that the cops had to bring us home or you had to hitchhike to get us back to the house. Looking back the reality of you having to carry my ass from the truck must have been a nightmare the older I got. Luckily for you, I was a skinny little shit until college. I’ll never forget the rides out the track either….it always seemed do far away as I sat in the front looking for exit 28 as a kid.
I always wanted to get there faster! I’m not sure you remember this but I remember being in the front middle of the seat in the red and white F-150 that’s still sitting on your hill. You had the cruise control set to 72 and I thought to myself that we need to get there as fast as possible. So I noticed that your foot was off the gas because the cruise was set so I slid my foot over and slowly pushed the gas pedal further and further until the needle of the speedometer was buried all the way to the right. I held my foot there as long as I could until it was so tired I had to let off. As we both felt the truck decelerate you looked down at the needle and said ‘Jesus Christ!’ I laughed out loud because I knew the jig was up! And instead of yelling at me you said that you wondered why we were passing everyone so fast because you had the cruise set….I think you were a little proud of me because I put the hammer down….or maybe just really luck that we didn’t get a ticket for 100+ in a 55 because that was still the limit back then. J
You instilled the need for speed in me. I remember going into the pits every week and you always putting your hand on the tires of the MIGHTY modifieds to see if they were still warm after the main was over. I remember you bringing me to meet all the drivers and how exciting it was to meet my heroes after watching them drive there asses off week after week. I remember it all like it happened last week, I could go on for days just talking about going to the races with you.
But my luck didn’t end there. I had all of the amazing experiences attached to having grandparents that camped all summer long. The memories at Deer Run which seemed to be half way across the country to a young boy who unknowingly was camping on a few acres in good ol’ Schaghticoke NY. Getting to have the freedom of riding my bike all day, fishing, playing bocce ball, going to the arcade, swimming, or just enjoying the trails or whatever other mischief I could find. I can’t thank you Gram, or my parents enough for those days, they were some of the best of my life. Sleeping the top bunk was always a challenge mostly because of your LEGENDARY snoring bellowing below me as I tried to sleep J . But who the Hell needs sleep at that age anyway.
I wanted to write this letter to let you know how appreciative I am for the Grandfather you’ve been to me. The countless memories swirling my head bring a smile to my face every time they surface. I’m lucky to have them and I always will. I’m like to have a man like you in my life that I call my Grampy. And most of all I want you to know how much I love you and how much you’ve meant to me over the years. I haven’t said it enough and I can’t say it enough now. I suppose a bit of that quiet, stoic, even keel aura that I’ve always seen in you rubbed off a little over the years. I thank you for all of it because I’m incredibly lucky to have had a life that’s included someone like you. I love you more than you’ll ever know Grampy.
I love you with all my heart and soul,
Your First Grandson
Ernie
