the easiest part is over
so today was day one of the veiwing for my grandpa. it wasnt as hard i thought it was going to be, but i think that was because everyone was holding themselves together pretty well. he died the other night, and i still cant believe it happened so fast. my cousin called me tuesday morning and told me that my grandpa was in the hospital and wasnt doing very well, but they would see how the next few days went to see how everything was going to turn out. a couple hours later my uncle called me and said that now he really wasnt doing well, but they still have to wait and see how things go. then at about 11 at night my sister calls me and says everyones been trying to get a hold of me but couldnt get through on my phone, and told me that he only had up to an hour left before he died. so within like 12 hours everything just shut down. luckily we were at jeff and sarahs so it was only like 10 mintues from the hospital he was at. once i got to the hospital it was the hardest thing ever seeing my whole family crowded around the bed just breaking down. he had all these tubes and things coming out of everywhere, he didnt know that anyone was even in the room and i just watched the numbers on the screen going lower and lower. watching all that happen was the most helpless feeling ive ever felt.
so today at the veiwing it was family from 3-4 and then everyone was able to come. it was nice seeing my whole family, but of course not a good situation to get together.
so later on in the day i was outside smoking and all of a sudden there was like 20 bikers driving by and pulled into the parking lot and they were all vigilanti's. i think its the coolest thing ever to see them all riding together. my uncle ozzy was one of them that came, and i havent seen him in a long time and it was awesome to see him. i think that was the hardest part of the whole day for me, was seeing all of them together with their vigilanti jackets on because it reminded me so much of my dad. for some reason i couldnt stop staring at them all. its like i was looking at all these guys covered in tattoos and those rag things on their heads, smoking and sitting on their bikes and its like those were my dads best friends. i think that was only part of the day that i really almost started crying.
situations like these are so weird to me. its like you want to be comforted because someone you love is gone, but at the same time you dont want to be touched and you dont want to talk about it. im going to miss him so much and i feel so bad that i never took the time out of my oh so busy life to go out to lunch with him, when thats all he asked me everytime i saw him. its always after the fact that you regret things like that. he was such a great man and i cant believe even now that hes gone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
this is an interview he gave a few days before he died
http://www.detroitjoereporter.net/
Local USS Indianapolis Survivor Recalls Delivering Atomic Bomb, Sinking of Ship in 'Last Act' of World War II in Pacific
UPDATE: WARREN'S LOU BITONTI
1924-2006, RIP
On Wednesday, July 26, DJR News Editor Gerald Scott and World War II vet Lou Bitonti met for lunch at Sero's eatery on Van Dyke in Warren. Every year they have lunch during the week of the anniversary of the sinking of Lou's ship, the USS Indianapolis.
Returning from lunch, they stopped off at the Veterans Memorial Park on Martin Road in Warren, three blocks from Lou's house. Now on oxygen, Lou was less mobile these days and had never seen the park, where his name and war record is etched on a special memorial brick. Lou posed for his last photo session.
By Friday, July 28, Bitonti was hospitalized. Sunday, July 30, was the 61st anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indy and he was gravely ill. On Wedneday, Aug. 2, Bitonti died. He was 81 years old.
This interview and photo shoot was, coincidentally, the last that Bitonti gave in his life. Sitting on a park bench, he reflected warmly and wisely about his life and the war years that shaped him. By lovely coincidence, another World War II Navy veteran noticed Lou's distinct baseball cap and wouldn't you know it, he turned out to be a fellow sailor based at Pearl Harbor and assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise's battle group. He stopped by on a whim.
The two old Navy salts had a wonderful time reminiscing. Lou's last remarks are included in this report. The funeral visitation for Lou Bitonti was held the even-ings of Aug. 3 in Sterling Heights. It was on Aug. 3, 1945, that Lou was among the 316 Indy survivors who finally came out of the water. Life came full circle for Lou.
this is the rest of the story
http://www.detroitjoereporter.net/USSIndyStory.html
and here is a couple more from other times
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/111004/loc_vetstory001.shtml
http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-01/07-29-01/e05ae131.htm
http://www.indysurvivor.com/categories/128EA17D-E73B-9BD5-96F9B3EB5EA5D2D0/the_final_crew.html
so today at the veiwing it was family from 3-4 and then everyone was able to come. it was nice seeing my whole family, but of course not a good situation to get together.
so later on in the day i was outside smoking and all of a sudden there was like 20 bikers driving by and pulled into the parking lot and they were all vigilanti's. i think its the coolest thing ever to see them all riding together. my uncle ozzy was one of them that came, and i havent seen him in a long time and it was awesome to see him. i think that was the hardest part of the whole day for me, was seeing all of them together with their vigilanti jackets on because it reminded me so much of my dad. for some reason i couldnt stop staring at them all. its like i was looking at all these guys covered in tattoos and those rag things on their heads, smoking and sitting on their bikes and its like those were my dads best friends. i think that was only part of the day that i really almost started crying.
situations like these are so weird to me. its like you want to be comforted because someone you love is gone, but at the same time you dont want to be touched and you dont want to talk about it. im going to miss him so much and i feel so bad that i never took the time out of my oh so busy life to go out to lunch with him, when thats all he asked me everytime i saw him. its always after the fact that you regret things like that. he was such a great man and i cant believe even now that hes gone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
this is an interview he gave a few days before he died
http://www.detroitjoereporter.net/
Local USS Indianapolis Survivor Recalls Delivering Atomic Bomb, Sinking of Ship in 'Last Act' of World War II in Pacific
UPDATE: WARREN'S LOU BITONTI
1924-2006, RIP
On Wednesday, July 26, DJR News Editor Gerald Scott and World War II vet Lou Bitonti met for lunch at Sero's eatery on Van Dyke in Warren. Every year they have lunch during the week of the anniversary of the sinking of Lou's ship, the USS Indianapolis.
Returning from lunch, they stopped off at the Veterans Memorial Park on Martin Road in Warren, three blocks from Lou's house. Now on oxygen, Lou was less mobile these days and had never seen the park, where his name and war record is etched on a special memorial brick. Lou posed for his last photo session.
By Friday, July 28, Bitonti was hospitalized. Sunday, July 30, was the 61st anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indy and he was gravely ill. On Wedneday, Aug. 2, Bitonti died. He was 81 years old.
This interview and photo shoot was, coincidentally, the last that Bitonti gave in his life. Sitting on a park bench, he reflected warmly and wisely about his life and the war years that shaped him. By lovely coincidence, another World War II Navy veteran noticed Lou's distinct baseball cap and wouldn't you know it, he turned out to be a fellow sailor based at Pearl Harbor and assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise's battle group. He stopped by on a whim.
The two old Navy salts had a wonderful time reminiscing. Lou's last remarks are included in this report. The funeral visitation for Lou Bitonti was held the even-ings of Aug. 3 in Sterling Heights. It was on Aug. 3, 1945, that Lou was among the 316 Indy survivors who finally came out of the water. Life came full circle for Lou.
this is the rest of the story
http://www.detroitjoereporter.net/USSIndyStory.html
and here is a couple more from other times
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/111004/loc_vetstory001.shtml
http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-01/07-29-01/e05ae131.htm
http://www.indysurvivor.com/categories/128EA17D-E73B-9BD5-96F9B3EB5EA5D2D0/the_final_crew.html