Thanksgiving this year will be forever

      Words fail when it comes to expressing our sincere gratitude and debt to so many of Geoff’s Maui friends for your incredible kindness.  We were overcome with grief, yet can honestly say we were equally overcome with gratitude for all your help while we visited Maui to say good-bye to our boy, our firstborn wonderful son.  We couldn’t have done it without all of you.  Max & Debra Blair offered their guest room to Geoff’s brother Braden & his wife Graseilah. Max & Debra fed us & insisted we drink the pricey bottle of Dom that he had promised to share with Geoff.  That meant we also had to finish off the bottle of “Mangocello” (favored by Geoff) that made its way to the Blair home from the Amalfi Coast.  Max keeps his promises.  Before we could blink, we barely mentioned wanting to have a little service for Geoff, when Kamalu said, “Done!”  He and Erik got to work, went to the phones (as did many others!) & a Celebration of Life was organized, hosted by Skyline. I wanted to make arrangements to feed everyone, & Kamalu said, “Done!” I inquired about music, and Kamalu said, “Done!”  Would we be able to videotape the Celebration?, I asked . . . done!  Kamalu even stopped by to share some amazing stories with us & to share the tale of Geoff’s last meal at Kamalu & Najona’s home.  We cried buckets. We let it out together with a half case of Heinekens.  

     The Sunday Celebration in the Skyline Amphitheater was uplifting for us.  It was the only time that week that our sadness was masked by inspiration, the thrill of dozens of wonderful folks opening up your hearts to us just because we are related to Geoff!  You changed our lives with your stories of the man we got to know better because of you.  You hugged us & cried with us.  You comforted us. Randall & Rand played favorite & familiar tunes for us; Kamalu, Erik, Al, Randall & Braden took the mike to tell “Geoff stories”; Al dedicated his favorite urn to Geoff; we shared photos of Geoff (with hair!); people ate & reminisced in one of Geoff’s most happy places.  It was perfect; it was family; it was love.  

     Now we all can carry that love forward in Geoff’s name.  As Cody expressed it so well, “I know you are flying high with the birds & I can’t wait to see you in an amazing sunset”.  Thanks for giving us the lift of a lifetime and a book full of your precious insights into Geoff’s journey amongst us.

Our love forever.

Bob, Carol & family