Last night I found out that Phil Delgado, called Mr. D by me for as long as I can remember, had passed away. I knew his condition was deteriorating, but once I heard the words my heart was heavy. I have proudly said he was like a father to me for years. He has treated me as family, like a son, for over 30 years. His love of life, his big smile, his hearty laugh, his voice on the phone saying, "Gregg, it's Mr. D" are just some of the irreplaceable things about him I will miss for the rest of my life. All the things I learned from him, either implicitly or explicitly, I will thankfully carry with me the rest of my life. Last year when Mr. D was first told he had a failing liver, his daughter Kathy created a blog to keep everyone updated on his progress recuperating. She asked everyone to write a little something for her father. I wrote the following that I thought I would post here to help explain how important he was to me & why I loved this man so much. It turns out that everyone had a similar story and the same love for Uncle Phil. He spent an entire lifetime improving the lives of everyone he had met. That my friends, is the textbook definition of a life well spent. I have no doubt that when he passed through the Pearly Gates, God was standing there with his hand extended saying it's my pleasure to finally meet you. If the world was a perfect place, everyone would have an Uncle Phil. So if you could use one spend some time at "They Call Me Uncle Phil".Mr. D,
The opportunity to tell someone how special they are to you, instead of just hoping they know it. This is truly a special gift. How perfect that this gift comes from you. The man that showed a punk kid from the neighborhood (that was just learning to live on his own) how a life should be lived. You welcomed me into your home (usually uninvited) to spend a day sitting in the backyard, a night sitting at the kitchen table or time spent in the garage/woodshop (where there was never any room to sit). You taught me about life’s simple pleasures, good company, laughter, great food, music, that it was ok to grow up and still have a child’s innocent heart and that enjoying these things with friends and family would lead to a fulfilling life. These lessons were not formal but over the years I have learned to appreciate how valuable they are to me. Con todo mi corazón, les doy las gracias. My most treasured gift from you is that you always treated me like family, maybe even better because I think I got to drink the good tequila at least once, maybe twice. You always have and always will make me smile. I always called you Mr. D, but I could just as easily called you Uncle Phil. Love always, Gregg
Here is Chrissy's letter to Mr. D.
Mr.D, if it wasn't for Gregg I wouldn't of had the chance to have you be a special part of my life. You & Mrs.D treated me like family right from the start over 23 years ago(WOW-am I old). We've shared good food, drinks & conversations at Café Borgia & your homes. You joined us in NYC so Gregg could show you the city he LOVES & see a fella only wearing "chaps" on the subway. You also followed us to Tucson to keep Gregg company, while I attended a Bear Conference and joined us for a lovely evening of food, drink & entertainment(the Doo-Wop band & the kid dancers) at the Reid Park Zoo. Speaking of zoos, you came to Brookfield so I can show you all my babies up close. Yeah, they're lions,tigers & bears but,how many people can say they fed an ice cream cone to a polar bear. Now you understand why I love these majestic creatures. I'll always cherish the beautiful hand crafted plate rack that's in our kitchen-you are so talented. I do want to bring up one little thing that you & Mrs.D still owe Gregg & I; a trip to Mexico so you can be our tour guides. I only took German in school so I need a translator & I'm not counting on Gregg's Spanish; I would end up coming back to the states alone. So let us know when you're ready for a road trip!! Love ya, Christy
No comments:
Post a Comment