Vale Br Kevin Friel

micgrace
micgrace Member Posts: 131
My Uncle died this morning from stage IV. I am now releasing his name, Br Kevin Friel a very well known person in Australia and across the world who has helped many people.

Unfortunately due to the passing on of my wife, his funeral will be held off for a little while. I and my family have to deal with 2 funerals back to back with both lost to cancer.

My wife to a stage IV glioblastoma multiforme and my last blood relative Uncle to a stage IV Esophageal cancer within a week. I cannot believe it.

I am really devastated from all directions. Need much cheering up.

Comments

  • jojoshort
    jojoshort Member Posts: 230 Member
    My heart reaches out to you
    You have suffered such loss, I can only offer my deepest condolences to you and your family at this sad time. We get no guarantees in life, yet we all grieve when it comes to an end, especially when it comes too early.

    I wish you and your family peace in the coming days
    Jo-Ann
  • dodger21
    dodger21 Member Posts: 85 Member
    jojoshort said:

    My heart reaches out to you
    You have suffered such loss, I can only offer my deepest condolences to you and your family at this sad time. We get no guarantees in life, yet we all grieve when it comes to an end, especially when it comes too early.

    I wish you and your family peace in the coming days
    Jo-Ann

    Peace
    Micgrace,
    sorry to hear about the passing of your wife and uncle. I hope their last days were as painfree and peaceful as possible. May God be with you as you prepare for two farewells
  • Daisylin
    Daisylin Member Posts: 365
    dodger21 said:

    Peace
    Micgrace,
    sorry to hear about the passing of your wife and uncle. I hope their last days were as painfree and peaceful as possible. May God be with you as you prepare for two farewells

    My sympathy
    Micgrace, I am so sorry for your losses. What a devastating blow. I hope you have a strong support system to help you through this most difficult time.
    Chantal
  • oriontj
    oriontj Member Posts: 375
    That's too much for one week or ever
    This can't be anything but a horrible time for you. Words don't always work and I usually do not know what to say. I will just say I'm terribly sorry that you are going through this. My wish for you are better days somehow, some time.

    jan
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • micgrace
    micgrace Member Posts: 131
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    My Uncle Kevin
    I am very proud to have been my Uncles nephew.

    At this stage a funeral is being organised Tuesday in 2 weeks in Sydney. My wifes is in the coming week on Wednesday in Innisfail and since the same relatives are at both it a tremendous strain with both funerals at opposite ends of Australia.

    I used to be the guinea pig to try out the maths tests on as I was in Queensland as a child. He tried very hard to get me to be a member of Mensa. There are many people he got started in business or assisted in numerous ways. A lot of these are very well known, and unfortunately, again I cannot reveal who they are.

    I suppose some of his genius has rubbed off on me as I have a BSc in Chemistry and was just finalising a thesis when my wife became sick. I am also a sessional academic at QUT in Australia. I also have approved publications to be released shortly.

    We expected his death as he had been sick for a very long time. I, naturally, was very reluctant to release the name of such a prominent person.
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    I'm so sorry over the
    I'm so sorry over the passing of your wife and uncle. My prayers are with you as you go through the difficult days ahead,
    Sandra
  • micgrace said:

    My Uncle Kevin
    I am very proud to have been my Uncles nephew.

    At this stage a funeral is being organised Tuesday in 2 weeks in Sydney. My wifes is in the coming week on Wednesday in Innisfail and since the same relatives are at both it a tremendous strain with both funerals at opposite ends of Australia.

    I used to be the guinea pig to try out the maths tests on as I was in Queensland as a child. He tried very hard to get me to be a member of Mensa. There are many people he got started in business or assisted in numerous ways. A lot of these are very well known, and unfortunately, again I cannot reveal who they are.

    I suppose some of his genius has rubbed off on me as I have a BSc in Chemistry and was just finalising a thesis when my wife became sick. I am also a sessional academic at QUT in Australia. I also have approved publications to be released shortly.

    We expected his death as he had been sick for a very long time. I, naturally, was very reluctant to release the name of such a prominent person.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • megmacmd
    megmacmd Member Posts: 85
    Life is beautiful if you look hard enough and believeand listen
    I am every sooo sorry for your loses and althoughhave sufferred similar loss my dad died 3 years ago of bladder cancer then my siter2 yearsago of breast cancer and my husband soul mate for for 40 years married for 30 dropped dead of a brain aneursym unexpectably at 55 in perfect health then my mom died last summer of breast cancer I am the last of my immediate family but am blessed to have 3 great children29,27,20 whom I have thoroughly enjoyed raising I was diagnosed with stage3 EC inMarch at 56 they are very supportive but scared my youngest is a second year at university of Va and is feeling bery cheated with all the death of his family I am doing flofox treatment every 2 weeks and tolerating them well but getting very discouraged as I am not a candidate for surgery due to nodes in lungs and pelvis and I hate feeling tired and the numbness and tingling in mouth feet and hands and not wanting to eat and feeling nauseous However I am still able to work as a neonatology hospitalist I love the babies and enjoy the hospital hustle and bustle of life new life hope and expectations .I hope you can continue to enjoy life and the positive things that pop up unexpectably I live at the beach and enjoy watchingthe sunsets at night very tranquil and calming I take pleasure in every little thing now things I took for granted My husband used to say we are all dying the minute we are born just dont know when or where He always lived every minute of his life to the fullest as if it were his last and I have tried to adopt that and live one day at a time and am grateful for all I have had and have and I wish the samefor all humanity that is suffering in all part of this world I wish you the best Icant say I understand your sufferring because I dont think anyone can really feel anothers but I can sympathize in grief and will send postive thoughts yor way and hope for the grief to lift and you will find a soft landing spot and enjoy life Meg
  • micgrace
    micgrace Member Posts: 131
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    He pushed me very hard to join MENSA and tested me numerous times on items he submitted. My IQ is well above the norm as well. I won't say, but its considerable. His funeral is over now and it was truly a state sized affair. Now my wifes and uncles funerals are completed I can (hopefully) get on with a new life without further ado, albeit as a widower which is something I never for the life of me thought I would become. I will miss my magnificent Uncle Kevin as well. As he used to say, ALOHA
  • micgrace said:

    My Uncle Kevin
    I am very proud to have been my Uncles nephew.

    At this stage a funeral is being organised Tuesday in 2 weeks in Sydney. My wifes is in the coming week on Wednesday in Innisfail and since the same relatives are at both it a tremendous strain with both funerals at opposite ends of Australia.

    I used to be the guinea pig to try out the maths tests on as I was in Queensland as a child. He tried very hard to get me to be a member of Mensa. There are many people he got started in business or assisted in numerous ways. A lot of these are very well known, and unfortunately, again I cannot reveal who they are.

    I suppose some of his genius has rubbed off on me as I have a BSc in Chemistry and was just finalising a thesis when my wife became sick. I am also a sessional academic at QUT in Australia. I also have approved publications to be released shortly.

    We expected his death as he had been sick for a very long time. I, naturally, was very reluctant to release the name of such a prominent person.

    Brother Kevin
    I am so sorry for your loss. Brother Kevin was my maths teacher at Marist Brothers Kogarah 1985-1986, Im a proud Marist College Kogarah Old Girl . A generous, clever man was your Uncle. I was sad to read of his passing in the Torch.
    We too have been touched by cancer. My Mum when i was 22yrs old , my dad a few years ago followed by my dad inlaw and last month my mum inlaw. I feel your pain having just lost your wife. Im sure you are exhausted and wish all the business end to be over so you can grieve uninterrupted.
    My love of Maths continues. I have a Diploma of Applied Science (Orthoptics) and am mid Masters of Applied Science by Research-luv those stats! (Falls in older people who do not speak English). I get excited writing succesful submissions for funding for the eye clinic at Bankstown- Lidcombe Hospital with Brother Kevins attention to detail and making the numbers shine never too far back in my mind.

    Brother Kevins funeral was likely this week so i wish you peace and fond memories
    Karen Pedemont nee Walker
    Marist College Kogarah 1985-1986
  • micgrace
    micgrace Member Posts: 131

    Brother Kevin
    I am so sorry for your loss. Brother Kevin was my maths teacher at Marist Brothers Kogarah 1985-1986, Im a proud Marist College Kogarah Old Girl . A generous, clever man was your Uncle. I was sad to read of his passing in the Torch.
    We too have been touched by cancer. My Mum when i was 22yrs old , my dad a few years ago followed by my dad inlaw and last month my mum inlaw. I feel your pain having just lost your wife. Im sure you are exhausted and wish all the business end to be over so you can grieve uninterrupted.
    My love of Maths continues. I have a Diploma of Applied Science (Orthoptics) and am mid Masters of Applied Science by Research-luv those stats! (Falls in older people who do not speak English). I get excited writing succesful submissions for funding for the eye clinic at Bankstown- Lidcombe Hospital with Brother Kevins attention to detail and making the numbers shine never too far back in my mind.

    Brother Kevins funeral was likely this week so i wish you peace and fond memories
    Karen Pedemont nee Walker
    Marist College Kogarah 1985-1986

    I am lucky to be his nephew
    I am lucky to be his nephew via his last surviving sister who is my mum. Br Kevins funeral was magnificent and did him proud. I presume you went?? I had my wife die the previous week. He adored my wife and we went around in Aloha together with Kevin on our honeymoon. Kevin also took us out for dinner to celebrate our engagement. Aloha to Br Kevin Friel from me. I received many Aloha greetings from Kogarah over the years. At least one can go and see Aloha the car at the Harris Motor Museum. It was my grandfathers. A Rambler from the 60's and one of very few RHD ones specifically sold in Australia.
  • TERMON
    TERMON Member Posts: 1
    micgrace said:

    My Uncle Kevin
    I am very proud to have been my Uncles nephew.

    At this stage a funeral is being organised Tuesday in 2 weeks in Sydney. My wifes is in the coming week on Wednesday in Innisfail and since the same relatives are at both it a tremendous strain with both funerals at opposite ends of Australia.

    I used to be the guinea pig to try out the maths tests on as I was in Queensland as a child. He tried very hard to get me to be a member of Mensa. There are many people he got started in business or assisted in numerous ways. A lot of these are very well known, and unfortunately, again I cannot reveal who they are.

    I suppose some of his genius has rubbed off on me as I have a BSc in Chemistry and was just finalising a thesis when my wife became sick. I am also a sessional academic at QUT in Australia. I also have approved publications to be released shortly.

    We expected his death as he had been sick for a very long time. I, naturally, was very reluctant to release the name of such a prominent person.

    Micgrace,
    Sorry to hear of

    Micgrace,

    Sorry to hear of the passing of your wife and your uncle Kevin he was my grandmothers cousin I came across your post by accident and felt compelled to sympathise with you on your sad loss, some members of your family visited Ireland a number of years back and we have fond memories of their visit here. Even though we have not met or spoken before I feel a great sense of loss for you and your family, and also feel a great sense of pride that a son of Manus and Hannah achieved so much and touched the lives of so many.
  • micgrace
    micgrace Member Posts: 131
    TERMON said:

    Micgrace,
    Sorry to hear of

    Micgrace,

    Sorry to hear of the passing of your wife and your uncle Kevin he was my grandmothers cousin I came across your post by accident and felt compelled to sympathise with you on your sad loss, some members of your family visited Ireland a number of years back and we have fond memories of their visit here. Even though we have not met or spoken before I feel a great sense of loss for you and your family, and also feel a great sense of pride that a son of Manus and Hannah achieved so much and touched the lives of so many.

    My mum was his last
    My mum was his last surviving sibling. He was my last surviving uncle. I could never convince mum to visit Ireland. Of course Manus and Hannah achieved much in their own rights. I had much pleasure of being babysat by them on numerous occasions while my Uncle Kevin was present. Truly an unforgettable childhood with some of the greats of Australia.
  • Raymond_chan1
    Raymond_chan1 Member Posts: 1
    Br Kevin Friel

    Dear Micgrace

    Very sorry to hear of your loss of your wife and your Uncle (Br Kevin).

    I hope you find comfort knowing that they will never be forgotten.

    Br Kevin was my maths teacher in Sydney (1996-1997 Trinity Catholic College)- he has a big impact in my life and finding out his passing is heart breaking.

    I know that both Br Kevin and your wife is always watching over us in Heaven and he would say "Alloha!" - they are free from pain, God is with them.

    Alloha

    Love

    Raymond