There are so many things I loved about my dear, sweet Irene and so many memories that I treasure. She was a constant figure in my childhood and a very special person throughout my life.

My family moved across the street from the Cruz family around 1970. One day, my mother attended a Tupperware party at a neighbor’s house and that’s when she met Irene. They became fast friends and that was the beginning of what would become a close bond between two families and a lot of shared history. Our families have since shared countless everyday moments, celebrations, tragedies, joys, and sorrows and everything in between. In those early days of the young families, there was only Irene’s daughter Kelly, and my older sister Lorrie, both very little at the time. Keith and I were born nine months apart. We grew up like siblings sharing car rides to and from school, summers playing outside, and all that comes with having mothers who were the best of friends. When Kevin was born, we had another member added to our family.

When I think of what it is that makes Irene so special to me, the thing that stands out the most is her dropping everything to be there when someone needed her. The way that she would offer comfort came so naturally and with such ease, where most others would be at a loss in the same circumstances. Her style of comfort, actually comforted, and gave the recipient a feeling of calm and trust, as well as an abundance of love. Perhaps my greatest experience of this was one morning when we were getting ready to leave for school. I was about 6 and my mother was still grieving over the death of my sister. She was having a particularly difficult morning and was so grief-stricken that it scared me. I ran across the street to Irene and when I walked in the house she greeted me in her usual sweet way. I tried to smile back but I burst into tears trying to explain incoherently about my mom. Irene, still in her nightgown, threw on her coat and ran across the street to my mom with Keith and I in tow. I remember her talking quietly to my mom and reassuring her that she would take us kids to school and be back for her. On the way to school, Irene assured me that she would stay with my mom all day and take good care of her. I don’t know what happened that day while I was at school but I remember Irene picking me up and bringing Keith and I to my house. Irene assured me that my mom was okay and she was resting. I remember her reading T’was The Night Before Christmas to me and Keith and I remember feeling very safe and glad that she was there with us. Safe. That was the best feeling in the world to me at that moment. She was my mom when my mom couldn’t be and I knew that when she was around everything would be alright. That book has always been a favorite of mine since then.

I could go on for days with memories like these. This is why I’ve always referred to Irene as my second mom. For years I thought that I had the privilege of being the only kid lucky enough to have Irene as that person in my life. When I got much older I would stumble upon stories posted on Irene’s Facebook page from friends of her kids referring to her and Danny in much the same way. I realized then that it wasn’t just me. Irene and the Cruz family have always had a very special gift. It is the gift to give of themselves so freely, so unselfishly, so generously, without judgement, without hesitation, to care for others and make them family. Their children have all followed in their footsteps and continued this family legacy of being kind, generous, loving people. For these reasons, I have a great love and devotion to Irene, Danny, and the entire Cruz family. Irene was my mother’s closest, most dear friend. Definitely her BFF but more like a sister. She was my second mom, and she will ALWAYS hold a very special place in my heart.