Winnie and I came to New York University at different times on different ships. Hers was a scholarship in nursing and mine was a fellowship in elementary physical education. We never could have imagined at that time that our paths would cross later. Before we met, Winnie’s Aunt Helen arrived at Columbia University to major in speech. It took her 3 days by bus. She was an amazing woman. I met her late in life, at age 100. She was born before we had all the modern conveniences. She took her first plane trip at age 100, when she flew to Kentucky with her son. She was admired by many and was interviewed by her local tv station. She could recite “Night Before Christmas” impeccably. Her diction was amazing. I can still hear her pronouncing my name so clearly, JU-LI-US. Winnie and I visited her several times before she passed away at age 103. Winnie and I met and fell in love on the volleyball court. Every Friday we played volleyball with other teachers and staff and always went to El Torrito (a Mexican restaurant) to eat afterwards. Our relationship bloomed into love. We lived together for 25 years. 9-11, what a sad day that was. It took a while for all the parents to make it to the schools to pick up their kids so that afternoon we transferred all the remaining kids to Rosemary Kennedy school where Winnie worked. Only a few teachers and staff stayed to help supervise numerous kids. Winnie and I stayed to help. We traveled many places together. On our first trip to Minnesota, Nan coined the term “S.O.”—significant other. Since then, I always introduced her as my S.O. After I suffered my stroke, the therapists would always ask who was the lady who was always by my side. I would look at her, smile, and say, “my S.O.” Winnie and I traveled the world together, starting with Paris, France. We traveled with my father and sister. We went to Paris, Wales, and then Ireland to visit her family at Bandry Bay, where the potato famine started which forced her family and many others to emigrate to the U.S. Then we traveled to Latin America to visit my daughter Joycelyn. We visited three countries in all: Guatemala, Peru and Brazil. We saw the magnificent ruins at Machu Picchu. Took a frightening boat ride down one of the tributaries of the Amazon River to spend a night in the Peruvian Amazon. When were arrived by plane to Iquitos it was late afternoon and the guides wanted us to stay the night on shore and travel to the lodge in the Amazon Forrest the next morning. When we told them that we had only booked one night at the lodge, that night, we had no choice but to make the trip in the dark with only one tiny flashlight, Winnie’s flashlight. They tried to hurry, but then we hit a log. Everyone’s eyes grew wide with fright. We continued on in silence, at a much slower pace and, thankfully, arrived safely at the lodge. Winnie said it reminded her of Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in the movie “The African Queen.” Our trip to the Brazilian Amazon was much calmer, but no less exciting. We slept in hammocks in a gigantic tree house. Winnie was always game for adventure. We heard and saw monkeys in the trees and the animals in the forrest. Next we went to Africa with Beth and her father Frank. It was an amazing experience. We visited the Serengeti, saw animals running wild—lions, elephants and hippos. We saw the Great Gorge, which the Beatles sang about in their song, “Lucy in the Sky.” The first human bones were found there. We saw Mt. Kilimanjaro. I could go on and on, but I’m not Winnie, who loved to tell a story. When she would start one of her stories, I would always interrupt and ask, “Is this a long story or a short story,” and she would always shush me and tell me to be quiet. That was about the only time we disagreed. What a remarkable woman! In addition to loving me, she saved my life—she and Danny. My Angel Winnie and my Saint Danny. I suffered a stroke while I was alone. I only had enough energy to dial Winnie’s phone number. I couldn’t speak, but Winnie, being who she was, immediately rushed over. She brought Saint Danny with her who broke down the door, called 911 and saved my life. That’s why I’m here today—my Angel Winnie and Saint Danny. During my recovery she was always there. She was a loving, kind, and caring person. I’ll be forever thankful for her standing by my side. During her illness, Phil, Lonnie and I took her to lunch several times. At one of the last lunches, Winnie had me smiling when she told me about one of the kids she had counseled. If you know Winnie, you know how she hugged everyone. The girl came to visit Winnie and she gave her a hug. The girl jokingly said, “You’re not squishy anymore!” We all laughed and smiled. That was the last true smile that I saw from her. Winnie touched many people’s lives. Winnie’s dentist was also a patient of hers and she always said that Winnie’s house was a house of healing. Right before Winnie passed, I went to the dentist for a procedure. Afterwards, she told me not to eat anything hot, only eat squishy foods and I felt like Winnie was right there with me.