A Message from John's Dad

I just wanted to say that what I read on this blogspot has really helped me in trying to stay strong for our family. This is not an easy task and no parent should ever have to deal with the loss of a child. You all have just filled my heart with even more love for John (if that is possible) and have given me a welcome gift of knowledge of what John was like when out in the work place.

I knew he was good at what he did, and when he had a passion for something whether it be work or play he would give the maximum effort and then some more. He never left a job half complete as it was like he was on a mission to get it done and get it done right.

I would like to share with you some of my favorite memories and thoughts of my son. I guess I'm to blame for John's love of sports and fast cars. I put that baseball in his hands before the nurse at the hospital could even tell us it was a boy. Dividends paid off as at 8 years old he was named MVP of his little league team. Baseball lasted through high school but John then came home one day from school and Linda and I just looked at him and said what is that? Well he had on a big white helmet and a white vest and he was holding a sword. John said I just joined the fencing team. So for the next two years we had to watch John be Zorro, but actually he was quite good the sport.

Now comes the love for cars as I was going through the mid-life crisis and I asked John what kind of car can I buy that is cheap but fast? Well the 1989 mustang 5.0 was the choice. John had decided it was time to get familiar with the power and torque of dads car so he took it for a cruise (without dad knowing of course) and it was really fun till dad had to go get the car stuck in a tree a few miles away from the house. Being great at researching things John said after the Mustang was fixed that he would like to try that drive again because now he knows where that tree is!!

I could go on and on with memories with my son but I will finish off with the computer ones. I want you all to know dad could talk for hours with John on sports and cars but computers well that is where John and I find a communication gap. He usually would lose me in mid sentence and I would be left saying What? I realized John was gifted when at eight years old we bought a new Webber Grill and they just came out with them and I was trying to put it together and all I heard from this little guy was it goes there dad not there. Here let me show you It has to go this way to work. It was then that I knew some day he would be very successful and very good at whatever field he chose.

He sure proved me right and you all helped confirm it with the high praise in your comments..thank you. Finally John built dad a computer and dad has been trying ever since to learn how to use it. We have a standing joke in the family as John would say dad called today and everyone else woulds say so what is wrong with his computer this time. I think it went something like this "John how do you get this to do that" John would then tell me and I would say could you run that by me again in English? I know when John gets that network heaven address and he sees email from dad the reply will be "buy a new one"

I love my son very much an there is not enough words out there to say how proud I am to be John's father. I will miss him so deeply and will have a private cry every day till God takes me and then we can catch up. Again my heartfelt thanks goes out to the Cisco family, my family and John's friends. for all your very kind and sincere thoughts. Thanks for sharing the stories guys...it helps.

Sincerely,
John's Dad