Blog of Emails (and notes) Regarding Robert Sisco

 

 

On this page is a log of communications received from people who want to express something about Robert. Perhaps it is a recollection of an event, or a feeling, a wish or prayer, a commitment, or a discussion of how that person's life may have been impacted by Robert.

Click here if you want to send an email for this page. Please include your full name and some context info to help the reader. If you want, include the names of particular people you hope read your communication. Also, please understand that the communication is up on a website for the world to see. And by seeing it, in someway, we are all changed.

5/17/2005 - Email from Jenine Mayring to Frank Sisco regarding her doing a marathon in Robert's honor, with raised money going for AIDS - Los Angeles (email - j9@aol.com)

just wanted to let you know that i am running another marathon in honor of your brother robert. this time it is the 2005 dublin marathon on october 31, and the money that is raised benefits aids project los angeles. (la has the second largest population in the country living with aids.)

in any case, i need to raise a minimum of $3,700 in order to participate, so if you know of anyone interested in sponsoring me would you please forward this email?

the link to my donation page is:

http://www.aidsmarathon.com/participant.asp?runner=LA-1138&Year=2005&EventCode=DB05

thanks so much!

wishing you and your family all the best,

J9.

p.s. i am committed to raising $4,000 to benefit aids project los angeles by running the dublin marathon 2005 (my third marathon!) on october 31. would you please consider sponsoring me? any amount would be greatly appreciated, is fully tax-deductible and will help in the fight against aids. thank you! :)
http://www.aidsmarathon.com/participant.asp?runner=LA-1138&Year=2005&EventCode=DB05

jenine mayring
www.mayring.com

 

(Another email from Jenine said: thank you so much for your support. robert was with me in new orleans last february when i ran the mardi gras marathon, and i know he will be with me again in october.

warm regards,
J9.

5/1/2004 - Email from Laura Lowell-Fitzgerald to Frank Sisco about the meeting at Robert's parents, Frank and Eleanor Sisco, of Laura, husband Ed Fitzgerald, Frank, Lorrie and Kelly Sisco. Laura gave a special gold ring (that Robert gave her many years ago) to Kelly so the ring can stay in the family for decades. (email - laura0752@aol.com)

Hi - I had such a fabulous morning with all of you- I held up well and that made me verrrrrrry happy- this day was important to me, seeing all of you together- Your daughter Kelly is a doll- what personality- I enjoyed her thoroughly- It was great seeing Lorrie again- she looks great- like you she hasn't changed...you guys are "ageless"
Thanks again for the beautiful pictures and the card- I will cherish them always!!!
Ed and I both look forward to seeing you all again- we so enjoy you all...
Much love,
Laura

__________________________

Here is an image that Laura sent me that her husband Ed Fitzgerald photographed digitally and which also appeared on a beautiful card they gave along with the ring.

4/15/2004 - Email from Ignacio Salas related to our exchange of emails about the AIDS Walk in NYC on 5/16/2004. (email - ignaciosalas@earthlink.net)

4/26/3004 - Hi
I am a friend of Robert. I send you my deepest sympathy for such a loss. He was so friendly with so many of us at GMHC and where I live at a friend's house. I speak ASL and he helped me so much with keeping that up being a hearing person losing the ability to speak ASL. ...I do send you my best wishes for a successful walk. Much solidarity and love from a friend of robert's.
Yours, Ignacio

From

Ignacio Salas

______________________________________________________

4/26/2004 - Dear Ignacio:
Thanks so much for your kind words. Can I use some of your emai to post it to the Blog of Emails on www.robertsisco.com in Robert's memory?
Best regards,
Frank Sisco

_______________________________________________________
4/26/2004 - Sure, you have my permission. Did you know that I was helping Robert make plans for the trip to
Barcelona that he, as far as I know was never able to take.
We e mailed each other a few times about that. From Ignacio

_______________________________________________________

4/27/2004 - Dear Ignacio:

Robert spoke a lot of his plans for the trip to Barcelona, and thanks for helping him. Hope to meet you one day.

Best regards,

Frank Sisco

4/15/2004 - Email from Jenine Mayring, Robert's friend, who successfully completed the AIDS Marathon in New Orleans on 2/29/2004, in memory and honor of Robert, and who raised $3,000! Thanks and congratulations! Here is her email to Frank which was also sent to many friends.

Hi Frank -

I wanted to forward you this email which relates to Robert. He & I had emailed each other every once in awhile... the last time was shortly before New Year's. He knew that I was running the AIDS Marathon in his honor. Just thought you might want to share this with your family.

Peace,
J9

Jenine Mayring


Subj: THANK YOU - MARATHON COMPLETED 2/29/04
Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 2:59:42 AM
From: J9nyc
To: jenine@mayring.com

Dear Friends & Family,

First of all, thank you so much to all of you for your support, both financial and emotional.

With your help, I was able to raise $3,000 to benefit AIDS Project LA and participate in the 2004 New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon. We were blessed with the perfect running day on Sunday, February 29th - overcast with a slight breeze.

Some of you knew that I was running in honor of my friend, Robert Sisco, who recently passed away on January 19, 2004. Whenever I felt my energy waning, I simply looked to the heavens and knew that he was with me every step of the way.

During the last mile, the wind kicked up so hard against me that I found myself asking Robert for help. In an instant, the wind shifted direction and it was as if his hand was pushing me towards the finish line. Robert was an amazing soul who brought love everywhere he went, and he will be missed by many.

Thanks again for your faith and support. I truly could not have done it without you!

PS - In order to provide exact time results, each runner is required to wear a Champion Chip. There are mats at the starting and finish lines that read your chip to ensure proper recording. According to my Champion Chip, I completed the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon, my 2nd marathon, to benefit AIDS Project LA in 5:43:21.2.

Attachment: Marathon Photo - J9

Jenine Mayring
Who's that redhead? Find out more at www.mayring.com
Do you like live music? Jenine sings her heart out with www.johnpieplow.com

Letter from Laura Lowell-Fitzgerald (previous girlfriend of Robert Sisco years ago - also see photos #140, 141 and 142 in Archive #4) to Joseph Brown at the League For the Hard of Hearingwith copies to Eleanor Sisco (Robert's mother) and Frank Sisco (Robert's brother)

3/4/2004

Laura Lowell-Fitzgerald
220-55 46 Ave. Apt. 5-H
Bayside, NY ll36l

March 4, 2004

Joseph F. Brown, Co-Executive Director
League for the Hard of Hearing
50 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Dear Mr. Brown:

I am so distraught over the death of Robert Sisco. In the event you have not heard, he passed away on January 19th, 2004.

Robert and I first met in 1977, at the League for the Hard of Hearing. At that time,
Elyse Lemonda was the President of "Young Friends of the League" club, and I was the secretary.

For years, Robert and I were very close. He was a super special person in my life. He opened his heart and home to me. About two years ago we started e-mailing each other after many years of no contact. We made tentative plans to get together. He wanted to come out to see me, and meet my husband of five years. Sad to say, it never happened. I developed some health problems. Since the recovery period was long, we had to put off that visit. Finally, we got around to making tentative plans to see each other after a trip he was taking. So, I waited, and waited, not knowing he had passed away. When he did not return my e-mails, I sensed something was not right. It was only when I received an e-mail from someone, saying that "something had happened" (but I did not know what), I called his mom, whom I had been extremely close to. She was so glad that I reached her, as she had no way of contacting me. I had moved, and then married. It was just this past Sunday that I learned of this sad, sad news. Since Robert's death, I have been in close contact with his parents, as well as his brother and wife whom I also adored. The Sisco Family was and still is very special to me. This is a hard, hard time for all of us.

I have enclosed three pictures of Robert and me for you to see. This was taken in the late 1970's at one of the "Young Friends of the League Get-Away Weekends". I am not sure if this was taken at the Brown Hotel or Mount Airy Lodge.

It means a lot to me to send this donation to the League for the Hard of Hearing. My sister and I received training from the League back in the 1950's. We both went on to lead highly productive and successful lives, thanks to the League for the Hard of Hearing. The League is also special to me because it was where I met Robert…many years later.

I am enclosing a check in the amount of $200.00. Please send me confirmation that you received this. Below is the address of Robert's Family.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sisco, Sr.
26 Park Ridge Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10805

Kindly inform them that a donation was made in memory of Robert Sisco from me.

Just to let you know, the League is also where I met Elyse Lemonda (1976). She and I became best friends. To this day, Elyse is another special, special person in my life. So, you see, not only did the League provide excellent rehabilitation services, it also introduced two very special people to me.

Sincerely,

Laura Lowell-Fitzgerald

Email from Dan Di Girolamo (Robert's friend and roommate from RIT) to Frank Sisco (Robert's brother)

3/6/04 - 2:31pm

Hi Frank, this is Dan Di Girolamo. I still think about Robert and still have Robert flashbacks in my mind. I enjoy being with Robert, he and I used to laugh a lot of times ! No matter what kinds
of situation we are in, we still laugh until we had to stop because our side was about to split open. Every time we see each other we kinda of brightened up our mood. We never argued with each other, only a slight disagreement which only last about 30 seconds. The way good and true friendship should be. I didn't know Robert chose his lifesytle in other ways and he kept it from me, and John Evangelista and Bob Liese until he bcame HIV positive. It was John and Bob who told me about it not Robert, I was surprised. I still wanted Robert to be my friend !!

John had met Robert at New York League of Hard of Hearing during the early fall of 2003. John brought Robert to surprise me and Bob Liese at my bowling league.Whoa was I surprised to see Robert there and I feel like a happy college kid, and I hugged him and told how happy I am to see him !!

Ever since then I e-mailed him to see how he was doing and we traded jokes with other. Robert had made a plan to see me or me to see him and we said the weather was too cold to make a plan. John and Bob were busy to upgrade their houses, so I do have more time than John and Bob. The holidays were closing in on us and I had a family gathering to go to which made it more complicated for me to get together again.We still e-mailed to each other. But then it stopped for awhile. He finally reponded and said that he was in the hospital nad that his stomach was bloated up and he had to take a medicine and be a strict diet. I was relieved to hear from him again and I made a promise to see him as soon after holidays and my overtime at work was over. He didn't tell me that his condition was started to wearing him down !! I would have spent money and
time to see him, but like you said to me that Robert didn't want anybody to see him sick. To me that's what Robert would do and he wanted me to remember the way he we was and not when he's sick.

Frank, I just want to say thank you for letting me know Robert had passed away. Frank, I really miss your brother and his friendship with me. I was happy to meet you and to get to know you that night, Frank. It was a pleasure to meet you and that you are Robert's brother. I felt like I have known you for years !! A lot of people say you and Robert don't really look alike, but, Frank, I see you and Robert are alike. Believe me when I say that !!! And yes I do feel like we are connected, Frank when I see you I still see Robert in you !! It is hard for me to explain what I mean by that for right now. I will call you when I am ready because right now I need to calm myself down. So Frank I promise I will call you soon. (On 3/8/04, Dan called Frank as promised and started making plans to get together and with others as well.)

Robert's best buddy

Dan Di Girolamo

 

 

Email from Flo Brown (Robert's friend) to Frank Sisco (Robert's brother)

3/5/04 - 12:53 pm

Hi,

I want to say I am very terribly sorry for ur loss. Robert was a good man. I met him on Sept 1998 in the city at the bar. We were chatting about love, men, women, affection and more. We realized we had the same idea abot all these issues. We never stopped talking till the bar was closed. I saw him again few times later on. We kept in touch once in a while thru emails. Till recently I got a news abt his death, I was stunned and speechless. I also got ur email abt Memorial Service yesterday. I didnt make it but he's alway in my heart.

I went to website and read ur daughter's essay. It got me crying. I know how she felt abt losing someone that she loves. I lost my beloved aunt, who i always thought of her as my mother, almost 2 yrs ago. I am sure ur daughter knew that Robert is in peace and no more pain. Plus the people up there are welcoming him home to be with his family, his new and old friends. They are having a party for him right now and every day. I told people at my aunt's service that my family, and her friends welcomed her home. We dont need to cry for his death but celebrate for he's reborn again. We can laugh and be happy for him. That is what I am doing with my aunt every day.

I think Its enough writing. It got me tears right now. :-) Have a good day

Flo Brown

Email from Jeffrey Zahn (Robert's friend) to Frank Sisco (Robert's brother)

3/2/04 - 12:16pm


Hi Frank,

I am so sorry to learn of your brother Robert's passing in January, and I will try my best to attend the Memorial Service on Thursday. But if I cannot, at least let me send you a few words about how much Robert touchedmy life.

I met you and your wife and daughter at a party at Robert's apartment
several years ago, when I was still very new in the Deaf/HOH community. (I
was the guy spending most of the Party smoking on the Terrace in panic.)

Kelly's essay on the website is very moving. I knew when I met her that
she would grow up into a fine young woman.

Robert was the first person to welcome me into his Deaf/HOH circle of
friends. I met him in a club in the West Village and my vaguely-remembered
(from college) Signed English and his oral skills were enough for us to
carry on a conversation, of sorts. He soon introduced me to his circle of
friends that used to hang out at The Monster (Warren King, George Garcia,
Ira, Blaine and lots of others).

Since my Sign skills were very rusty, after 15 years of not practicing,
I hung out at The Monster for several months on Every Friday Night (and
Robert taught me the ASL for that concept) with the Gang until I was
finally accepted, in a way (it took almost two years). Robert always kept
watch over me and made sure that they didn't exclude me (too much), until
they accepted that I wasn't just a dilettante. My ASL skills kept slowly
improving, and I met lots of nice people, including Warren, George, Ira,
Blaine, and others.

A few years later, I had a friend (Claude Shirts) who organized
Hands-On, the Interpreted Theatre Organization. They had a Special
Performance of _Cabaret_ in it's original venue on 46th Street. I invited
Robert as my guest, and we got seats right in front of the Interpreters,
who unfortunately blocked our view of the action on the stage. Robert was
pissed off, but didn't complain too much.

Later that same day, we went down to an "Italian Importers Festival" at
the Wintergarden at the World Trade Center, where Robert surprised me by
demanding that I Interpret and Reverse Interpret his conversations with
various vendors selling wine and cured meats. He even forced me to
Interpret a Live Cooking Show that day. It was scary and fun at the same
time. Somehow we always communicated. I quickly learned how limited my
ASL/SE skills were, but Robert never discouraged me from trying.

Over the next few years Robert and I kept in touch via e-mail, but I got
involved with someone and moved to New Jersey, and came into The City less
frequently, so my association with The Old Gang got to be less and less. I
was on his "I have a free ticket to ..." list, but I'm sorry that I never
got to attend a show with him again.

If I hadn't been so out of touch with his friends, I would have heard
about this months ago, but I just moved back to Manhattan.

So, again, I am sad for your loss, but also sad for mine. Robert was
always a genuine caring friend.

And a good dancer, too.

I'll see you on Thursday, I hope.

Jeffrey Zahn <jzahn@pipeline.com>
12 Dongan Place #307
New York, NY 10040

 

Email from John Timko (Robert's friend) to Frank Sisco (Robert's brother)

3/2/04 - 12:43pm


Dear Frank,
Thanks for sending information about the Memorial Service for Robert. I was deeply saddened when I heard about his passed away. I am sorry for your loss. I will come this Thursday for the Memorial Service because I couldn't make it to his wake last January. I sent a basket of white flowers at his home funeral. I know Robert for nine or ten years. I am glad that I met him. He is a wonderful guy. I really enjoyed his company all these years. The hardest part that he is not around in NYC. I do miss him.

Regards,
John Timko, Jr.

 

Email from Sam Agostino (Robert's cousin) to Frank Sisco (Robert's brother) about an inspiring story to provide comfort.

2/29/2004 - 7:29am

 

This will put a tear in your eye and a smile to wear all day long.....Enjoy
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Walmart.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let 's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this,
he can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything
there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

A friend sent this to me to remind me of life. Hope you enjoy it.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Send this to the people you'll never forget and remember to also send it to the person who sent it to you. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.

If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a hurry.

Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when
you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain!

God makes everything but unbreakable hearts.