RIP, my dearest friend

[NYInk]

Holy, I just got back from traveling today and was able to read this. I just wanted to say that I am truely sorry for the loss of your friend. My sincerest condolences to you, his family and all his friends. Sgt. Isaac Palomarez is a hero and should always be remembered as such.

Jay

[justdaman11]

wow one of my old teamates left for Iraq last night in the middle of a game, it was allot harder to say goodbye then i thought. me and another guy(justin) tried to talk tyler(the one who left for Iraq) into standing out on the ice and taking a slapshot in the ankle so he didn't have to go so soon. but he wouldn't let us he said it's time or him to man up.

he had a tough childhood(he's 19 now) and lived with both me and Justin because his parents were never there for him(long story) so it was especially hard for us to say goodbye to him.

he said he wan'ts to be an independent man now and he thanked both me and justin for letting him stay with us. It really hit me we're not little kids any more.

First time I cryed in years, all three of us did

[sloth2946]

Originally Posted by Margoto

Holy, you are a good man and friend.

This just struck me....while we've all been talking about Issac and rightfully so, there needs to be some focus put on you Holy.

You are a good friend and you've handled this situation with a level of class and dignity that you'd expect from a man twice your age.

You are a good man and a good friend, and I hope my friends are as good to me, and vice versa. Gives me something to strive for as at times I ain't the best friend I could be and maybe I should be choosing my friends to be more in the mold of you than what some of them have been.

Gives me hope for mankind actually.

PS: I am not a tattoo guy...but I think that is a hell of an idea for someone that was so cared about and keep them in your heart and mind every day.

[frankydee]

I'm quite touched by this.

"Mes condoléances Holy."

[Holy the Goalie]

Originally Posted by sloth2946

This just struck me....while we've all been talking about Issac and rightfully so, there needs to be some focus put on you Holy.

Thank you, Sloth. I don't feel worthy of any praise, though; I've handled this situation the only way I know how, with help from my family, friends, and fellow GSBB members.

The funeral was yesterday; from when I needed to show up, it ended up being an 8 hour day. It was a very beautiful ceremony. We had a police escort from the funeral home to the church, and were greeted by the full ranks of the Patriot Guard (retired military that ride Harleys; they protect military funerals from protestors), a military honor guard, half the police force, and several hundred people from the community. After we carried the casket into the church, we were seated at the front of the church. It was a Catholic ceremony, and Father did an excellent job of explaining everything for those of us that aren't Catholic. After communion, it was time for me to give my eulogy.

I had every expectation that I would have a difficult time getting through it, and I did, although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Everyone laughed when they were supposed to, which was my biggest concern. His parents and brothers all seemed to like it, which was my second biggest concern.

Once the rest of the ceremony was over, we prepared to accompany the body to the cemetery. The drive lasted about 15 minutes, and we traveled about 10 miles. There were people lining the street THE ENTIRE WAY, holding American flags and home-made signs. It was like something out of a movie; according to the papers, there were more than two thousand people lining the way. I can not think of anything that I've seen that was as moving as what I saw yesterday. There simply aren't words to describe the experience of seeing that many people standing and honoring someone they didn't even know. Wow.

At the cemetery, Isaac received a burial with full military honors. The Army Honor Guard carried the casket to the grave site, and then performed the flag ceremony while he received a 21 gun salute. There was a Major General on hand to present Isaac's Purple Heart and Bronze Star to his parents. It was all very well done, and very impressive.

Finally, we had the reception back at the Knights of Columbus hall, next to the church. At that point, the Casualty Assistance Officer with the Army presented honorary flags to not only Isaac's brothers, but also to myself and three other friends that had acted as pallbearers. That completely floored me; as I understand it, the family usually gets one flag. For there to be more than one flag (let alone eight) presented to the family/friends, just doesn't happen. Again, wow.

At the end of the day, our group of friends came back to my place, and shared some stories and beers. After they left, I really started feeling down. I think I'd been so tired all day, I didn't have any energy to be sad, or even to cry. I think at the end of the day, it all started catching up with me. Today has been pretty low, but I'm starting to feel a little better.

I owe a debt of gratitude to this entire community; being able to share and vent has been immensely helpful. I would have had a much harder time with my grieving process had I not had all of you to lean on. I owe an especially heartfelt thank you to Deb, Rob, David, and Aric for their help during the last week. You guys (and gal) will always be in my heart, and I'm proud to call you my friends.

[goalies-r-us]

I've been thinking of you this week, Brett. It sounds as if the day honored Isaac in the manner he deserved. While I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this, I'm glad that you were able to see the beauty in the day. You love Isaac and he loves you, and that never changes. We're here if you need us, anytime, day or night -- that never changes, either.