Last year, on the first day of Spring, my world exploded. My husband Vincent D’Aprile, the love of my life, ultimately lost his battle with Metastatic Cancer. Thursday, March 21st, 2024, will be the first anniversary of his passing. While my heart is broken, I comfort myself knowing that he’s not suffering anymore, as he rests in well-deserved peace.
Transcript of My Eulogy for Vince:
“I am
humbled and so grateful by everyone’s overwhelmingly kind, thoughtful, and
loving words of support. I truly believe that up in heaven Vince is relieved to
know that eventually I'll be okay, because I am surrounded by the warmth of so
many good, caring, wonderful people.
I feel hollow to my core. Vinnie took my heart and my soul with him when he shed his mortal coils last Tuesday night. Apparently it was the first day of Spring, and I don't know yet what to make of that. I tend to search for symbolism a lot.
Vinnie was so special,
gentle, and sweet, with the biggest, kindest heart of anyone I've ever known.
Smart, and loyal, almost to a fault. And he loved me.
I had never, ever, experienced unconditional love before we met. But for the past 30 years, because of him, my confidence grew and most days he was able to convince me of my worth. My one certainty is that what we had was special. I'm so grateful that we met.
One of my most
sustaining memories is of peeking out the window, before our first date, and
seeing him skipping, SKIPPING up the street in his excitement to see me.
Sometimes I think he
hung in there for my sake. I recently had a serious medical scare, and when my
scan came back okay last week, I suspect he felt relieved, and reassured that
he could finally shed his pain-wracked mortal coils, and ascend to heaven in
well-deserved peace.
_ _ _
When Vince was diagnosed with Metastatic
Cancer, he was knocked to his knees, as anyone would be. Then he got up, and geared
up for the fight of his life, inspired especially by one particular song which became
his battle anthem:
Jon Bon Jovi’s IT’S MY LIFE
No silent prayer for faith-departed
And I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud
It's my life
It's now or never
But I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"
I just want to live while I'm alive
It's my life
Yeah, this is for the ones who stood their ground
For ‘Vinnie and Joycie’ who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder, make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky, got to make your own breaks
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"
I just want to live while I'm alive
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(‘Cause it's my life)
_ _ _
Among his many life accomplishments, Vince was a brilliant chess player and strategist, a production manager and mechanical genius, and the co-owner of Pastificio D’Aprile.
His Bench Plaque at Toronto’s Harbourfront:
It’s opposite the sign below, right by the water.
_ _
_
Postscript:
Vinnie’s fondest wish, as he told me often during his illness, was for me to find
the time and energy to begin writing again. I promised him I’d give it my best
shot. So please, be on the lookout for
upcoming blogs about my recent exploits and beyond. During my struggles to find my footing, solo in the world, this past year, so many of our
friends made it a point to drop by, or invited me to their homes, either
locally here in Toronto, or as far flung as Brantford, Hamilton, Windsor and
Montreal. They invited me to shows and events, to keep me from retreating into isolation
and sinking further into despondency. I am forever grateful to these wonderful,
kind souls. As a result, I have several upcoming entertaining stories to share with you,
here in these long neglected pages. I'm inviting you to accompany me on this exciting, creative journey,
because I am determined to make my Vinnie proud.
_ _ _