Good evening friends.

We dedicate tonight’s post to a family friend Edward M. Beagen who passed away on Wednesday night going into Thursday morning.  I believe at 10 am he was pronounced dead.  He died of a heart attach at 73 years old just last week. In the last year he really let himself go, smoking a lot cigarettes again, drinking and eating loads of ice cream clogging his arteries even more.  I think he was just at the point where he wanted to live his way no matter what the consequence. Man can i relate to that.  Its for those reasons i used to let him chew my ear off on the phone.

He said and did a lot of things over the 20 years we knew each other that I did not like.  But I knew the score with him so I always just overlooked it.  Whether that was right or wrong, I’m glad I let it all slide.  At the end of the day he just wanted to be liked by everyone and have a good time.  After the beat downs he took in life, he was not able get centered again.  I always felt like he was tormented inside.  Michael was absolutely brilliant.  I just said to him two weeks ago, “Michael you’re getting smarter as you get older”  — And he really was.

As an analogy with life, he could look at a chessboard and have the game won before it even started. The problem was in his own life he had trouble with the vision he had for others.  I really don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone speak so brilliantly in my life.  I could go on for days about him.

Friends this is a really important message for all our friends around the world. Obviously its personal for Sammy & Family, but i hope you all can read between the lines here.  In life, good and bad things happen to us all, but we have to keep moving forward.  Hanging on to the past, or “The Good old days” does not serve us well. I have to keep reminding myself that life is the “Good New Days”  —  If anyone struggles with living in the past and not letting you have to remember, its already gone.  Turn around and look into the wide open spaces because that’s where you are.  Wide open spaces to create new experiences and stories to tell.

I will close with this.  Michael we all liked you and your stories were incredible.  The best stories I’ve ever heard.  I know you’re at peace now.  The peace you always deserved.  Sammy & Family will miss you and never forget you.  We will always have you in our thoughts and prayers.

Jessica will say a few words for our fallen friend Michael now;’

“Michael, wherever you are, I just want you to know that I forgive you for that day. Even though there were times I felt hurt by your words, you were so loved by me. You meant something to me. Your loss has hurt me deeply. I always understood that you had been broken hearted, and that’s where all of the other stuff came from. In the end, you just wanted to feel important and loved. Please know that you were, and will always be. I love you. You were brilliant and you will never be forgotten. I wish I had been there to say goodbye. I wish I had gotten that chance. I pray that you hear me. Dear God, please take Michael into the light and Comfort him. Please let him know how much he meant to us. You were loved Michael. You were loved.”

Rest in Peace Michael.  Amen. Sammy & Family.