Uncle Phil
Trip Start
Sep 25, 2002
1
21
40
Trip End
May 15, 2004
Denver,
Colorado,
United States
Saturday, February 22, 2003
The thing about Phil and why I had/wanted/needed to go back was, basically this...outside of my mom, dad, and sis, he was the only person in my whole family who truly accepted me just as I am. No disrespect or disregard to other family members, but there just wasn't the acceptance like Phil gave. We instantly hit it off (I have a great pic, the first day we met, of me sitting in his lap like he was Santa asking what I wanted for Christmas) and I immediately got along with his family better than I had with anybody on my mothers side. (I only met Phil and knew I had another uncle and this extension of my family around about 1995?) On the occasions I visited Denver, Phil made sure that he and the entire family were available to meet for dinner and catch up and when I moved to Denver it was like I magically had a new family. Suddenly I was included in family dinners and family outings, birthdays, etc. and it was like I gained three sisters and a brother and even another mother and father, honorary second parents who took me in without question. Believe me, having them resembling anything as parents to me is my honor.
01phil
Phil and Cris are/were wonderful. Although other factors, in combination with becoming close with my father, had a major impact/effect on me, leaving Phil and Cris and the "new" family made leaving Denver one of the hardest and most emotionally troubling times for me in my entire life. Well, it was taxing and rough, but I was able to make it back into Denver on Monday night for the first of two services. (Two services to accommodate all the officers, Phil was a Denver police officer for 24 years) I decided, because of the time and expense of coming back, to stay for two weeks and visit Denver, Dallas and Austin. This allows me to see the majority of my family and friends. I had planned on coming back for a visit in June, but this trip will have to do. Anyway, I asked everyone who knew I was coming to keep it quiet so I could surprise my Aunt Cris, Phil's wife. Man, was she surprised! Maybe I shouldn't have surprised her because apparently, she had finally been able to stop herself from crying and then I show up and she loses it again! I won't go into too much detail about the funeral, but it was just amazing...probably 700 people at the church, 150 officers waiting outside to salute my uncle, over a 100 car procession to the burial site, 8 car police escort, downtown Denver traffic stopped for the procession, 21 gun salute, doves released and a front page picture and story about the services! An amazing send off for a great guy. Now, I know you only say nice things about people after they die, but I had no idea what an effect Phil had on so many people. Person after person just went on and on about what Phil meant to them. His nickname was "the Bro" because he truly was everyones brother...literally would do anything for you.
The good side of being back was getting to see my family and, also, my new little sister, Alana. (It was great to see my pooch, Ginger, too!) Alana is such a cutie! I think she'll be a singer b/c the girl has some major lungs for her size. It was cool seeing her and watching my dad trying to reason with her when she wouldn't quit crying! ;) The funniest sight was seeing Gingers reaction to Alana crying and her face that was saying, "hey, whats all that noise and why aren't you doing something about it!".
