Ron, Thank you for writing this article and for being there for her during this last stage of life. Pat talked about you often and appreciated time spent with you and all that you did for her, and enjoyed your friendship. She wanted me to connect with you, although I really didn’t understand why (I am not a baseball fan), or maybe we were both assigned to the “hearing aid search” committee. Maybe it was just typical Pat trying to bring people she liked together. since she wasn’t able to throw one of her fun parties, she just wanted us to make contact on our own.
I was her Son Bill’s life partner for 10 years from 1986-1996, so I knew her when she still lived in the Bronx and then made the move to Manhattan. She was my mother in law but Because she possessed so many attributes and interests as her son (a great sense of humor, a love of theater, enjoying traveling, liked to create events and parties, a fantastic story teller, a doer who makes plans and makes fun happen) it was easy to become friends.
After Bill died Pat and I remained close, talking regularly, taking several vacations together (LA/ so Cal road trip, Austin, No Cal wine country, Grand Canyon) seeing shows and enjoying meals and sights when I would visit nyc. I was the person who took her to Into The Woods in November, the last show we did together.
I came to visit her at home in March - and she was already a different Pat…needy, confused, overwhelmed. She wouldn’t even go see a show with me no matter how hard I tried to make it easy for her —-so I brought her lunch, went grocery shopping for her, and did several projects around the apartment for her.
I also came to see her recently for a week in mid October at the cancer hospital bringing her favorite sandwich (egg salad with bacon), or flowers, or mail. She was so frail and thin. I had to help her eat and drink. Luckily only one day she was in pain and very very out of it on morphine. But the other days she was appreciative, and sweet and very excited to eat with me.
I heard from a friend that visited Pat in the hospital regularly that Pat told her she was ready to go and she did not like her life at the hospital, so I guess it wasn’t a total shock to hear of her passing. I just didn’t expect it so soon. As you wrote, the bladder cancer was slow growing so we all thought she might have another year or two. I think she felt like she had a great life and her current state was not the kind of life she wanted.
We have both lost a friend, and the world has lost someone special. Thanks to your article - and the relationships and memories she created with so many- she lives on and is remembered.
Ron, you are such a good friend. And, obviously, a VERY good person. Every person has a story, and deserves to be remembered. Thank you for sharing Pat’s story with us. ❤️
Finding new friends in our “ second acts” has a special kind of sweetness, especially when you find someone who will still swing for the rafters. You did your friend proud.
I hope when my season on earth is over that I will be remembered as such. And with the same courtesy that you paid this lady. It was a very nice article. Courage in the face of challenges, always.
Great piece! The Josh Prager book about the telescope in centerfield and the wire from the bullpen to the dugout will forever accompany the "Shot heard round the world." And the 50th anniversary of that home run was not the joyous event it might have been in the aftermath of 9/11.
Ron…. She would feel highly honored by your memorable tribute. Thank you for the personal portrait of a life. It matters.
That is a heart warming story, thanks so much for sharing.
Ron, I found this article because I know Pats daughter. There are so many parts of your article that touched my heart ❤️. Thank you
Ron, Thank you for writing this article and for being there for her during this last stage of life. Pat talked about you often and appreciated time spent with you and all that you did for her, and enjoyed your friendship. She wanted me to connect with you, although I really didn’t understand why (I am not a baseball fan), or maybe we were both assigned to the “hearing aid search” committee. Maybe it was just typical Pat trying to bring people she liked together. since she wasn’t able to throw one of her fun parties, she just wanted us to make contact on our own.
I was her Son Bill’s life partner for 10 years from 1986-1996, so I knew her when she still lived in the Bronx and then made the move to Manhattan. She was my mother in law but Because she possessed so many attributes and interests as her son (a great sense of humor, a love of theater, enjoying traveling, liked to create events and parties, a fantastic story teller, a doer who makes plans and makes fun happen) it was easy to become friends.
After Bill died Pat and I remained close, talking regularly, taking several vacations together (LA/ so Cal road trip, Austin, No Cal wine country, Grand Canyon) seeing shows and enjoying meals and sights when I would visit nyc. I was the person who took her to Into The Woods in November, the last show we did together.
I came to visit her at home in March - and she was already a different Pat…needy, confused, overwhelmed. She wouldn’t even go see a show with me no matter how hard I tried to make it easy for her —-so I brought her lunch, went grocery shopping for her, and did several projects around the apartment for her.
I also came to see her recently for a week in mid October at the cancer hospital bringing her favorite sandwich (egg salad with bacon), or flowers, or mail. She was so frail and thin. I had to help her eat and drink. Luckily only one day she was in pain and very very out of it on morphine. But the other days she was appreciative, and sweet and very excited to eat with me.
I heard from a friend that visited Pat in the hospital regularly that Pat told her she was ready to go and she did not like her life at the hospital, so I guess it wasn’t a total shock to hear of her passing. I just didn’t expect it so soon. As you wrote, the bladder cancer was slow growing so we all thought she might have another year or two. I think she felt like she had a great life and her current state was not the kind of life she wanted.
We have both lost a friend, and the world has lost someone special. Thanks to your article - and the relationships and memories she created with so many- she lives on and is remembered.
Ron, you are such a good friend. And, obviously, a VERY good person. Every person has a story, and deserves to be remembered. Thank you for sharing Pat’s story with us. ❤️
thank you Ron - you did it again, another great article
A wonderful tribute! You were blessed with her friendship and we are blessed by your sharing of her story,
Finding new friends in our “ second acts” has a special kind of sweetness, especially when you find someone who will still swing for the rafters. You did your friend proud.
I hope when my season on earth is over that I will be remembered as such. And with the same courtesy that you paid this lady. It was a very nice article. Courage in the face of challenges, always.
Great piece! The Josh Prager book about the telescope in centerfield and the wire from the bullpen to the dugout will forever accompany the "Shot heard round the world." And the 50th anniversary of that home run was not the joyous event it might have been in the aftermath of 9/11.