Nicholas was very special and touched a lot of hearts in this world in the short time he was here. He was a loving and caring person with a lot of talent, beautiful smile, enormous heart, a son, brother, grandchild, godchild, nephew, cousin, and best friend. He was taken from us suddenly and unexpectedly the morning of August 18, 2005 at the age of 25.

He was a beautiful healthy 8 lb. 3 ½ oz., 20” long baby, born Sept. 27, 1979 at 9:41 a.m in St. Agnes Hospital, White Plains, NY. From the time he was born, people couldn’t take their eyes off of him. He always smiled and was such an affectionate and happy baby. When Nick was around four years old, he was picked to do commercials. Nick had his own overly imaginative mind, though, and even though he could remember the lines, “Oodles and oodles of Wise Cheese Doodles”, he felt the producer’s desk was more important to climb all over and explore. So, he blew the interview, but we were told to send in more pictures of him to do magazine ads when he calmed down a little more, which he never did.

I remember, while delivering him, the surgeon saying that his head was covered with an extra layer of skin which looked like a veil. I was told by my mother, who was also born with the veil, that you were very special to be born with it. Being born with the veil meant that you would have a lot of luck and extra protection in life. I felt this was true for Nick because he was such a free spirited person who had no fear, always living on the edge doing dangerous things and, I’m sure, always had many powerful angels watching over him all the time.

When he attended Hudson Valley Community College in Albany, NY he was doing remarkably well. He always had it in him to do well if he put his mind to it. He wrote beautiful stories, he was a born artist with amazing artistic talent, an animal lover, and he had such a love for marine biology that it came so natural to him.

Nick's dream was to become a marine biologist. While attending college to finish his degree, he worked at several aquarium shops and serviced salt water fish tanks. He was also an experienced nutritionist and personal trainer and an electrician. He was very into nutrition, and earned his certification from Manhatten College, NY to become a certified body trainer working as a private trainer and for several gyms such as, the New York Sports Club in White Plains, NY, and Club Fit in Briarcliff, NY. Along with his many trades, he also helped set up and wire the new Circuit City store in White Plains, NY of which he was commended and given an excellence award by his superior management for his remarkable work.

Even though his autopsy reports came back that he died of natural causes and heart failure, and not like the rumors said of an overdose, we have to let ourselves believe that what happened in the end was his destiny. I truly believe that we all have a destiny. A fortune teller once told me when I was very young and before I had my children, that I would have two sons, and that one would be with me a long time, but the other one was going to leave me at a very young age. Her prediction always stuck in my mind and I always wondered and hoped that she didn’t mean I would loose the one to death. I wished I never had that fortune, but I am still thankful to God for giving me Nick although for just a short time.

Through the good and bad times in raising Nick, I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have given up one second with him. Nick is truly a gift from God, a gift we are thankful we were given the opportunity to know and love. Everyone who knew Nick should be thankful they did because he was truly a good soul who would give himself up for anyone. This world was too evil and hard for him. We never realized what an impact he had on others until his death. He was a priceless gift who taught us a lot about life and love. We know his death had a purpose.

Losing Nick has been so hard on us. Some days are easier than others. We can’t escape the pain, the loss, the memories and how much we miss him so much. We have to learn to live with the hurt and know that he will always be with us spiritually until we are all together again in heaven.

We feel Nick would want to be remembered for how he lived and not how he died. He would always tell us that he wanted to do everything and anything before he turned thirty. It was as if he knew his destiny. We chose the following for his memorial thank you cards as it sums it all up.

"Afterglow"
I'd like the memory of me
To be a happy one. I'd like
To leave an Afterglow of
Smiles when day is done.
I'd like to leave an echo...
Whispering softly down the
Ways of happy times and
Laughing times and bright
And sunny days. I'd like
The tears of those who
Grieve to dry before the
Sun of happy memories
That I leave behind when
Day is done.

Nick’s friends still come by to visit us and talk to us about the good times they had with him. It’s nice hearing from them about all the fun times he had. It’s hard to believe that he’s gone. Some of his friends told us that they had dreams of him. We even had comforting dreams of him where he came to us and said he's felt the best he's ever felt. We know he's at a better place now, at peace and with God, and that someday we will all be together again with him. They say that when you die, even though you aren’t here bodily, you are always with your loved ones spiritually because the energy of our souls never die.We always seem to feel his presence near, and would like to think that he can see us too, and that he is at peace and happy because he definitely deserves it. Nick will forever be in our hearts.

Love,
Mom, Dad, Mike