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My Son, My Hero
During the 40’s and
50’s one of the famous expressions was “Kilroy was here.” Although most people didn’t know who Kilroy
was they swore that at some place or time he had somehow touched their lives or left his mark. From the very start Ryan William
Foley embodied that spirit of “Kilroy was here.” His birth (a planned cesarean) was hastened when his mother started
having early labor pains (by the way, the ONLY one of our 3 children with which she had those – an early indication
of what was to come with Ryan). It was his way of letting us know that he was here – HE HAD ARRIVED!
Childhood was no different. In everything he did, being the pied piper of the neighborhood children, endearing himself
to the medical staff at the Newport
Hospital, defending his older brother and sister in school, and an early passion
for sports, he made sure everyone knew RYAN FOLEY WAS HERE! As he grew into adulthood, his ever widening circle of friends,
prompted him to reach out and let people know he was there to lend a hand whether by action or just a kind word. Every once
in a while we would hear a story thru an acquaintance about how Ryan had touched someone’s heart and life. We didn’t
realize the full measure of that until this week.
 Each
of our children has their own special gift. With Ryan it was the gift of laughter. No matter what the situation (and there
were some DOOZIES with Ryan), he could make you laugh. There are many things I will miss about Ryan – his smiling face,
horsing around in the kitchen, his Buddha belly dances, his constantly borrowing $20 (by the way Ryan, I tucked a $20 in your
pocket), his calling me Pops, but most of all, his ability to make me laugh. For that Ry, I thank you from the bottom of my
heart. That has gotten me thru situations that I don’t think I would be able to endure without it.
On many occasions, either by written or spoken work, Ryan as said I was his hero, the person he aspired to be. Well,
Ry, you don’t have to try any more – YOU ACHIEVED THAT! By turning your life around, always being there for your
mother, by helping me whenever I needed it, by forging new adult relationships with your brother and sister, by bringing your
friends, especially your beautiful and loving Barbara into our lives, by gibing us our first grandchild – that handsome
black four-legged nut, Capone, and by loving and helping everyone who was a part of your life…. You became MY HERO.
In my heart forever…
- Pops
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