Greetings Dearest Family and Friends of Our Dearly Departed Andrew!
This is the late Andrew Park’s father. It’s been a long two and a half years since my beloved Andrew passed. For my family and me, life has been challenging since Andrew left us. However, one thing that keeps us going is to “Let Our Little Light Shine” in memory of Andrew. At Andrew’s celebration service, we played a photomontage of Drew accompanied by the song “This Little Light” by Addison Rose. I chose this song, because it best represented how Andrew lived his life: Letting his “little light” shine. And this is what my family and I are trying to do, do our very best in whatever endeavor we are currently in despite our grief.
One way I have tried to keep my light shining is by trying to raise money to find cures for cancers, in particular The Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk to fund research to find cures for blood cancers. This year I have decided to fundraise for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, who raises money to help fund research to find cures for pediatric cancers!
Andrew and his wonderful legacy are not the only gigantic reasons why I have decided to support St. Baldrick's. The amazing fact is that I currently student teach a boy named Ryan C., who had a brother named Dominic who also passed away from pediatric cancer. Another incredible fact is that Dominic and Andrew's paths crossed as they were in chemotherapy together at Children's Memorial. I don't know if this is a sign, but if it is, it has squarely hit me in the face! Many of the students who I am student teaching in Ms. Spitzner's class will be participating to honor Ryan's brother. We are fundraising under: Do It For Dominic.
Many of you know I switched vocations to teaching large in part to honor my late son and the fact that one of Andrew's chemo colleague's brother is in my classroom is nothing short of incredible! A HUGE SIGN! I can see Dominic and Andrew grinning ear to ear right now!
I have been part of an incredible wave of magnanimous giving over the past few years in honor of Andrew and I am beyond grateful. I am humbled and overjoyed at the love for Andrew and our family through your amazing generosity. I ask you to consider continuing this wave of love and consider giving whatever you can to honor Andrew and Dominic.
To be perfectly transparent, cancer has rocked me and my family's world in a way that cannot be explained. Cancer is HORRIBLE AND DARK. No one should lose a loved one to pediatric cancer, especially parents. However, I know WE can make a lasting impact by giving in this small tangible way. As Andrew's "little light" shined and continues to shine, may we let our light shine as well.
By the way, I am SHAVING my head for this event!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Let's keep Andrew's and Dominic's light shinning.
Truly Yours,
Joe