Truly and forever...Our "Champ"
Alex was a sometimes mischievous and always curious child who wanted to experience everything. He loved to travel and some of his greatest happiness was remembering his trips to Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, and Canada, as well as many U.S. destinations, especially Acadia National Park and Hilton Head Island. He daydreamed about going back to Paris again. Alex always looked forward to going up to visit our family in the Catskill Mountains where he would ride for hours on his beloved dirt bike on trails that he, his brothers, and dad made. He could have truly gone to Six Flags Great Adventure every day, and went just a few days after learning of his recurrence. He never stopped smiling and went on every crazy ride in the park. Alex loved kayaking, hiking, and the beach. He loved to go out on the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers on our family boat. He lived for adventurous activities like parasailing or anything that involved a bungee cord! He loved movies and could talk about them for hours, especially if it involved time travel. Alex was an avid reader. His favorite childhood books were Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, and of course Harry Potter. He read Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment when he was only in 8th grade! He adored music; his favorite bands included the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, and Green Day, but his taste was eclectic and he also enjoyed jazz, classical, and the blues. One of his favorite songs was What a Wonderful World, by Louis Armstrong.
Alex taught himself magic, and showed us the best card trick we have ever seen, simply called "Fred." He was fascinated by animals and treasured his Bichon, Einstein, and yellow Lab, Turbo. He wanted to go to South Africa on his Make-a-Wish trip to see the lions, rhino, and especially the penguins on Boulders Beach near Capetown. His deteriorating condition did not allow for this type of extensive travel, so in typical Alex fashion, he made the best of it and our family enjoyed a beautiful cruise together instead where we created indelible memories. A creative chess player, Alex was always looking for someone to sit down and play a game with him. Our Alex loved nothing more than taking things apart to see how they worked, then reassembling them piece by piece. He learned to build a computer in this way. Alex loved to spend time in the kitchen learning how to cook with his mom, but somehow became the superior chef. He made the best homemade guacamole and delicious barbecued ribs with his own special spices on the grill. He told us that he felt like everyone in high school was his friend. He never had a problem with anybody, ever. He laughed and smiled readily, and did not know how to hold a grudge.
Family was everything to Alex. He was such a loving and affectionate child. He deeply loved his parents, brothers, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. He had a very special and unbreakable bond with his brothers Ray and Will; one that was and is tangible and everlasting. To see the three of them together was absolute magic, and their love for one another remains a joy that is a light in our broken hearts.
The heartache we feel in losing our precious boy is indescribable, but every time someone shares a memory of him with us, our hearts begin to fill again with happiness...
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Alex, on clinic day, at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Always a smile, and kindness to all...
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