Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
My Carlo
My beautiful, darling Carlo. I never thought that I would ever stand and speak at your memorial service, especially not at our age, but here I am. I am going to speak for you because you were so strong and brave and I know that you would’ve spoken for me, had it been me that had left.
18 ½ years ago, I met and started to love you. We grew together, travelling this road called life. You have given and taught me so, so much and I can’t fit it all into what I’m going to say today.
You are my hero, my inspiration. You were my best friend for almost two decades. You were the most stable, consistent and largest part of my life. I love you with all my heart and soul. I respect you…….I love you endlessly.
When I think of you, I think of your big, beaming smile. Your witty sense of humour, your laugh and the way your eyes crinkled at the sides when you laughed. You made me laugh so many times……you made me happy. You were so funny at times and I will never, ever forget the years of side-splitting funny moments that we shared. Thank you for teaching me to laugh at myself and see the funny side of so many things.
Our love started as teenagers and grew and matured, though the army, jobs, marriage, children, school activities, bonds, groceries and the list goes on. We were partners in every way my Carlo. Life partners and we were on the same side. I am going to miss having you in my corner my babe.
You have given me three beautiful and perfect gifts in Megan, Shannon and Connor. Your legacy lives on in each of them. In Megan, her wise little ways and her fierce interest in History and Geography and sport, her total sense of right and wrong. In Shannon, with her hysterical little sense of humour and her physical resemblance to you. The fact that her laid-back forgetfulness and attitude used to drive you nuts sometimes was always funny to me because that little apple didn’t fall far from the tree! Both of your little girls have your intense caring and kind nature. And then your little man…..you got your boy my babes and he’s your little double. I know that you will be standing behind me helping me to raise that little bundle of energy. You have instilled such beautiful values and ideals in your girls and those will carry your girls successfully.
I will not raise our children alone, my Carlo, because I know that you will be with me along the way. You were too big in life and left such a huge footprint here, for your legacy to ever be forgotten.
Although my heart is broken in a million pieces and my soul feels as though it has been ripped in two….if I had to make the choice of having you in my life for those 18 ½ years again and losing you again and going through this again as opposed to never having been blessed with you in my life at all, I would choose this pain again. I am who I am today, because of you my wonderful, amazing Carlo.
Thank you God for lending us all Carlo and letting us be part of his wonderful laughter-filled journey. If part of his journey was to make people smile and feel good, I would say he achieved that.
Dawn, thank you for having Carlo, moulding him into who he was and letting me love him with all my heart. Pat, your unwavering love and care for Carlo, meant more to him than you will ever know. Thank you for being his Dad. Wesley and Jackie, your brother loved you both so much and even though time and circumstances weren’t always favourable to you spending a lot of time together, he was still proudly and protectively your big boet. So, my family-in-law, Carlo’s children and I will still be a huge part of your lives because we love you all too.
When my dad died, Carlo, you were the protective pillar of strength for my Mom, Megan, Shannon and I. You carried us through that time of hurt, pain and loss. Thank you my babe. You were my Mom’s son too and she loves you as a son. You called her your other mother.
My Carlo, thank you for loving me and teaching me so much. ‘til we meet again my babe……Good bye and I love you, Diane
My beautiful, darling Carlo. I never thought that I would ever stand and speak at your memorial service, especially not at our age, but here I am. I am going to speak for you because you were so strong and brave and I know that you would’ve spoken for me, had it been me that had left.
18 ½ years ago, I met and started to love you. We grew together, travelling this road called life. You have given and taught me so, so much and I can’t fit it all into what I’m going to say today.
You are my hero, my inspiration. You were my best friend for almost two decades. You were the most stable, consistent and largest part of my life. I love you with all my heart and soul. I respect you…….I love you endlessly.
When I think of you, I think of your big, beaming smile. Your witty sense of humour, your laugh and the way your eyes crinkled at the sides when you laughed. You made me laugh so many times……you made me happy. You were so funny at times and I will never, ever forget the years of side-splitting funny moments that we shared. Thank you for teaching me to laugh at myself and see the funny side of so many things.
Our love started as teenagers and grew and matured, though the army, jobs, marriage, children, school activities, bonds, groceries and the list goes on. We were partners in every way my Carlo. Life partners and we were on the same side. I am going to miss having you in my corner my babe.
You have given me three beautiful and perfect gifts in Megan, Shannon and Connor. Your legacy lives on in each of them. In Megan, her wise little ways and her fierce interest in History and Geography and sport, her total sense of right and wrong. In Shannon, with her hysterical little sense of humour and her physical resemblance to you. The fact that her laid-back forgetfulness and attitude used to drive you nuts sometimes was always funny to me because that little apple didn’t fall far from the tree! Both of your little girls have your intense caring and kind nature. And then your little man…..you got your boy my babes and he’s your little double. I know that you will be standing behind me helping me to raise that little bundle of energy. You have instilled such beautiful values and ideals in your girls and those will carry your girls successfully.
I will not raise our children alone, my Carlo, because I know that you will be with me along the way. You were too big in life and left such a huge footprint here, for your legacy to ever be forgotten.
Although my heart is broken in a million pieces and my soul feels as though it has been ripped in two….if I had to make the choice of having you in my life for those 18 ½ years again and losing you again and going through this again as opposed to never having been blessed with you in my life at all, I would choose this pain again. I am who I am today, because of you my wonderful, amazing Carlo.
Thank you God for lending us all Carlo and letting us be part of his wonderful laughter-filled journey. If part of his journey was to make people smile and feel good, I would say he achieved that.
Dawn, thank you for having Carlo, moulding him into who he was and letting me love him with all my heart. Pat, your unwavering love and care for Carlo, meant more to him than you will ever know. Thank you for being his Dad. Wesley and Jackie, your brother loved you both so much and even though time and circumstances weren’t always favourable to you spending a lot of time together, he was still proudly and protectively your big boet. So, my family-in-law, Carlo’s children and I will still be a huge part of your lives because we love you all too.
When my dad died, Carlo, you were the protective pillar of strength for my Mom, Megan, Shannon and I. You carried us through that time of hurt, pain and loss. Thank you my babe. You were my Mom’s son too and she loves you as a son. You called her your other mother.
My Carlo, thank you for loving me and teaching me so much. ‘til we meet again my babe……Good bye and I love you, Diane
Dad this is for you and I know you’re listening
You taught me how to be strong
You taught me how to laugh
You taught me how to ride my bike without training wheels
Not only were you an inspiration to me but to many other people you met and you touched the hearts of all the people here today and we are not here to mourn your life but to celebrate it and all the great memories of you that we have.
One of the biggest things i enjoyed and will miss doing with you was all your input and help in all of my school projects. I will carry on as though you are still with me, helping. I will make you proud dad, in all that I aim to do.
I will love and respect you forever.
Goodbye my daddy.
Written by Megan
You taught me how to be strong
You taught me how to laugh
You taught me how to ride my bike without training wheels
Not only were you an inspiration to me but to many other people you met and you touched the hearts of all the people here today and we are not here to mourn your life but to celebrate it and all the great memories of you that we have.
One of the biggest things i enjoyed and will miss doing with you was all your input and help in all of my school projects. I will carry on as though you are still with me, helping. I will make you proud dad, in all that I aim to do.
I will love and respect you forever.
Goodbye my daddy.
Written by Megan
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Superdad
I first met Carlo and Di when I taught Megan at Bushhill Pre-primary. He was a proud dad and he was always keen to learn more about his children and their progress. We later attended the same childrens' birthday parties as my eldest, Craig was the same age as Shannon. We moms, used to call him Superdad between ourselves because it was he who accompanied his daughters to these parties and attended to their needs. More recently we used to bump into each other at Randpark Primary and he would always stop for a chat. I remember how proud he was to tell me about Connor. He always had time for people and so loved his family. He will remain Superdad to us.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Carl's weekend away 4x4ing with his friends…..he loved it even though it was absolutely freezing!!!! This was the weekend before his seizure.
CHECK THAT, HE STILL MANAGED TO BURN THEM!
YOU THINK THAT’S FUNNY MR CAMERA MAN…….
YOU WANT ME TO SHARE THIS WITH WHO?
MADE IT AND GOT THROUGH THE SNORING AND FARTING!
CLIVEY. THIS GOES ON LIKE THIS………
RIGHT, I’LL KEEP AN EYE ON YOU THOUGH………
NOW YOU TURN THEM…….
THAT’S BETTER NOW WE CAN RELAX……
RIGHT, I’LL KEEP AN EYE ON YOU THOUGH………
NOW YOU TURN THEM…….
THAT’S BETTER NOW WE CAN RELAX……
CHECK THAT, HE STILL MANAGED TO BURN THEM!
YOU THINK THAT’S FUNNY MR CAMERA MAN…….
YOU WANT ME TO SHARE THIS WITH WHO?
MADE IT AND GOT THROUGH THE SNORING AND FARTING!
Dear Di
I chatted to Clive last night and he said that you have been flooded by offers for help from all over. I want you to know that it is not only for Carlo’s memory. The people I have spoken to are just so inspired by your strength and the way you have got through these last 4 1/2 months. We loved him dearly as he was what you would call the perfect mate, but you were his perfect mate as well, and we will always be here for you. I sincerely wish that we had got to know you guys a lot earlier. Please take people up on their offers if you need to, as they are genuine. Carlo had a really genuine bunch of mates and they are the type of people that will always be there for you. I’ve been friends with Clive for 9 years, and nothing is ever too much for him as well. My offer to you to come to Port Alfred whenever you want stands and our house is always open to you. Port Alfred is a great place to unwind.
You continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Love
Arthur Manning
I chatted to Clive last night and he said that you have been flooded by offers for help from all over. I want you to know that it is not only for Carlo’s memory. The people I have spoken to are just so inspired by your strength and the way you have got through these last 4 1/2 months. We loved him dearly as he was what you would call the perfect mate, but you were his perfect mate as well, and we will always be here for you. I sincerely wish that we had got to know you guys a lot earlier. Please take people up on their offers if you need to, as they are genuine. Carlo had a really genuine bunch of mates and they are the type of people that will always be there for you. I’ve been friends with Clive for 9 years, and nothing is ever too much for him as well. My offer to you to come to Port Alfred whenever you want stands and our house is always open to you. Port Alfred is a great place to unwind.
You continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Love
Arthur Manning
Friday, October 17, 2008
Serendipity - 30 April 2006
A memorable weekend at Serendipity which Mike Grant organised.
A weekend of camping, adventure and socialising at its best. It was unfortunately to be Mike's last camping weekend.
Carl stepped up to the plate and took control. Mike couldn't have left Di in better hands. How shortlived that was to be!
Di, Megan, Shannon, Connor, here's a few reminders of how life should be lived. Be strong, take guidance from these memories, live the guidance and reward the guider (Mike & Carlo) through your daily choices.
Not sure about this one!
Ah, that explains it!
Sometimes a stiff neck needs 'strong TLC'.
A weekend of camping, adventure and socialising at its best. It was unfortunately to be Mike's last camping weekend.
Carl stepped up to the plate and took control. Mike couldn't have left Di in better hands. How shortlived that was to be!
Di, Megan, Shannon, Connor, here's a few reminders of how life should be lived. Be strong, take guidance from these memories, live the guidance and reward the guider (Mike & Carlo) through your daily choices.
Not sure about this one!
Ah, that explains it!
Sometimes a stiff neck needs 'strong TLC'.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
My Brother from another Mother
Someone once wrote that ' One true friend is better than having a thousand relatives'. This is so true of my friendship with Carlo. He was a friend, confidant, advisor and a brother. He was always willing to listen and tried to help as much as he could. He also had a way of telling you that you were whining without offending you, unlike me who would tell him to suck it up if he started complaining. I am glad that everyone remembers the laughter shared with Carlo, I believe this was a gift that he held and used at every opportunity,(Sometimes not always at the correct moment, but this seemed to make it funnier).
Bud all I can say is that I love you, and I honestly believe this blog will be a great testament to your life and what you meant to people.
You are my friend and that is true,
but the gift was given from me to you.
We went through moments that were good and bad,
even moments that were happy and sad.
You supported me when I was in tears, we stuck together when we were in fear,
It’s really sad that it had to be this way,
but it has reached its very last day.
Miles away can’t keep us apart,
because you'll always be in my heart
Bud all I can say is that I love you, and I honestly believe this blog will be a great testament to your life and what you meant to people.
You are my friend and that is true,
but the gift was given from me to you.
We went through moments that were good and bad,
even moments that were happy and sad.
You supported me when I was in tears, we stuck together when we were in fear,
It’s really sad that it had to be this way,
but it has reached its very last day.
Miles away can’t keep us apart,
because you'll always be in my heart
One in a billion!
Well, most of you don't know me, but I worked with Carl on some Construction Sites in Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, the day I met Carl he came across as a very confident outspoken guy, and it wasn't long before he cracked the first joke of many still to come, in fact I don't think there was a single day when Carl was around, that he didn't have a quick joke to share with all the guys on site.
The actual reason why I want to share my experience with you about Carl, isn't just because of the jokes we shared, or all the times we spent talking about our kids, or his willingness to always help out where he could, but the size of his hart! He was truly one of a kind, and what he was willing to do for people he hardly knew really blew my mind, he was a true roll model!
A couple of months after I had moved into a knew complex out in Helderkruin I met one of the tenants living there, he claimed to be a Captain at the Honeydew Police Station and was also on the Body Corporate where I lived, obviously after getting to know him a bit better I had formed a bit of a friendship with him and it wasn't long before he introduced a dodgy scam to me (which didn't sound so dodgy at the time, he did work for the SAPS after all).
To make a seriously long and terrible story short, I managed to get two of my colleagues involved, they invested quite a bit of money and we had suddenly discovered that it was all a scam, the next few months were some of the most stressful times in my life, as I was implicated to be an accomplice, I nearly got arrested for theft under false pretences, and I didn't even do anything wrong!
While all this was going on it was extremely hard to keep focused on my work and Carl was one of the first people to try and encourage me that all will soon be better, the day that shook me the most was when Carl actually offered to loan me the money to make it all go away. This from a guy that hardly knew me, some of my closest friends, people who knew me for years didn't even offer to help. I was truly amazed by Carl, the kind hearted person he was and will aways be.
Everything turned out great afterwards, the scam artist got arrested, and I truly believe that Carl's positive outlook on the whole ordeal was the definitive turning point at which everything started to go right, he never judged anyone he never looked down on anyone and he certainly never ever turned his back on a friend! Truly, one in a billion!
Carl, you will truly be missed! God bless you my friend!
The actual reason why I want to share my experience with you about Carl, isn't just because of the jokes we shared, or all the times we spent talking about our kids, or his willingness to always help out where he could, but the size of his hart! He was truly one of a kind, and what he was willing to do for people he hardly knew really blew my mind, he was a true roll model!
A couple of months after I had moved into a knew complex out in Helderkruin I met one of the tenants living there, he claimed to be a Captain at the Honeydew Police Station and was also on the Body Corporate where I lived, obviously after getting to know him a bit better I had formed a bit of a friendship with him and it wasn't long before he introduced a dodgy scam to me (which didn't sound so dodgy at the time, he did work for the SAPS after all).
To make a seriously long and terrible story short, I managed to get two of my colleagues involved, they invested quite a bit of money and we had suddenly discovered that it was all a scam, the next few months were some of the most stressful times in my life, as I was implicated to be an accomplice, I nearly got arrested for theft under false pretences, and I didn't even do anything wrong!
While all this was going on it was extremely hard to keep focused on my work and Carl was one of the first people to try and encourage me that all will soon be better, the day that shook me the most was when Carl actually offered to loan me the money to make it all go away. This from a guy that hardly knew me, some of my closest friends, people who knew me for years didn't even offer to help. I was truly amazed by Carl, the kind hearted person he was and will aways be.
Everything turned out great afterwards, the scam artist got arrested, and I truly believe that Carl's positive outlook on the whole ordeal was the definitive turning point at which everything started to go right, he never judged anyone he never looked down on anyone and he certainly never ever turned his back on a friend! Truly, one in a billion!
Carl, you will truly be missed! God bless you my friend!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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