A Cyber-Hug

How do you console or share sympathy with your friends from hundreds of miles away? A phone call? Maybe some flowers? Perhaps those are the best efforts, but they seem so useless and small. Sometimes, all that's really needed is a warm body to hug and a shoulder to cry on. Two things I can't give.

I'm not sure if Mel does livejournal, but I know many of the few people who read mine knew Dean. So for Mel, for Caitlin and for all the Alpha Xi's, I'd like to do my small piece in remembering Dean Opicka. I hope that others will share their stories too, on their own blogs, on a comment here, or wherever they may choose.

Somehow it seems that for the past two years, anytime I've been in Wisconsin, Dean's been there too. Usually just getting back or just heading off to Iraq. But despite all the great karaoke renditions he graced us with those times, I think what I will always remember most is Dean reading Dr. Suess' Hands Hands Fingers Thumb at the sorority sleepover when he was our sweetheart. To put it succinctly, it was hilarious. He was a great sorority sweetheart. I'm sure back then his coming to all the events, reading us stories, inviting us to his concerts, all seemed like just little things - but really, they helped put a smile on everyone's face. That was something Dean was very good at. He cared. And it's for his compassion, generosity and genuineness that we will celebrate his life.

.... maybe I'll go listen to some Definitely Maybe tonight.

Press Release from hometown newspaper

(Original Post)

Bedroom

Hug

Air Conditioning Outside