Monday, June 30, 2008

The Warrior

Mike Willis might have said it best...
"...He's a warrior. I picture him there, like one of those movies with arrows sticking out of him all over the place. But he still won't go down. Tell him to keep his shield up and his sword sharp for me."

2 comments:

Amy Madrid said...

Hello everybody, it's Dominic's big sister, Amy. I've spent the last couple of days reading all of the nice stories that have been posted about my brother. I can't thank you enough for taking the time to share your wonderful memories with all of us.

I'd like to take a few moments to share some of my fondest memories with you.

I was an only child before Dominic came along and I've heard that I liked it that way. I was so jealous of having a new baby in the house, I didn't know what to do. Until of course I realized that having Dominic around, meant I had someone to boss around. This worked for me and I very quickly acclimated myself to the role of "big sister."

Dominic and I would spend hours playing in our back yard on "B" street together. Anything from cowboys and indians to gymnastics and hide-and-go-seek. We'd play school (this is where the bossy came into play) and restaurant. We'd paint and draw on hot summer days and when it got too hot, we'd run through the sprinklers together. Who needed a friend, when you had a brother like him?

As Dominic and I have gotten older, my fondness for him has only gotten stronger. You'd think he was the older sibling, the way I look up to him. There is nobody like Dominic. We will go our entire lives, and none of us, not one of us, will ever be able to say, "I met another Dominic." He is one in a million. He demands a presence like no other. That adorable grin, that contagious laugh and that energetic spirit is something to admire. And let's not forget those dancing pecks.
Thank you again for all of your love and support. What we are doing now is exactly what Dominic would want........for all of us to reminisce.
Fondly,
Amy Ah Ah (that's what Dominic use to call me)

Hope said...

It is impossible to not be deeply and profoundly moved by Dom and his family and his friends. As Marshall's big sister I have known Dom forever as a background figure in his life. Since his first diagnosis though he has taken on a place center stage in my heart (whether he truly knew it or not). He inspired me to read different books and live a more active life. Damn it if Dom could run a marathon with cancer, I can get my lazy butt out of bed for a 3 mile walk! What I love is the way my brother loves Dom. I love the way that Dom would call Marshall out in front of his parents and family and have us all laughing. I loved how Marshall and Dom would joke about Spencer being able to take Dom at 3yrs old. I loved that Dom recognized Spencer and Dave on the side of the road at a rest stop in Tulare and stopped to say Hi, even though he wasn't feeling well. But what I love most of all is that there is this much goodness and love in the world; that Dom, and his family and other loved ones can know how much Dom impacted the people he touched. I don't think we get to see that enough. We touch people everyday, even if we don't see them or they aren't our closest friends. We still touch their lives. I know Dom has touch and changed my life forever: as a friend, a mother, a sister, an athlete, and even in my work. I thank you Dominic.
With all of my love to you and your family,
Hope