Life ... Death.

When I started this 'blogging thing' last spring, I had no idea where the exercise would take me. Would the blog become a daily diary? Would it become a chronicle on our decision to move from NYC to Boston? Would it be a sports blog or a self-published sports column? Would it be a blog to review music/concerts or movies? Would it entertain or inform or could it do both?

Would it help me? Would it be interesting? Would it be worth the time?

One thing that I certainly did not think this blog would do?

I did not anticipate it being a vehicle to mourn my older brother Tim's death.

***

Timothy Francis Lyons IV, 59, died yesterday, February 29, 2008. He had been battling colon cancer for the past few years.

I am not in the mood to write anything more. I will just jot out a few vivid thoughts and memories about my brother and these are in no particular order, at all.

1. I remember him taking me to Jones Beach as a kid. He was in high school, maybe first year of college. I was little (Tim is 11 years older than I am). I am sure he could've just gone to the beach with his girlfriend or his buddies. Instead, he always took me and my brother, Tommy.

If it were a Sunday, we would head to an early Mass, with a bathing suit under our Sunday best. We would arrive early. Stay late. I would be so exhausted from riding waves all day, that I could barely walk back to the car. He had a '64 Chevy Impala. Great car.

2. I remember the fact that he took me to my first St. John's game on February 13, 1969, it was a St. John's rout of Calvin Murphy's Niagara team. It would be the first of thousands of St. John's games watched in person at Alumni Hall (now Carnesecca Arena) or The Garden. I can remember Tim stood in line to buy two extra tickets (Row A in the corner) for St. John's vs Notre Dame with Austin Carr on Feb. 27, 1971. That ND team clobbered St. John's.

3. I remember when he got married and went off on his honeymoon and how I missed him so much.

4. I remember how happy he was to take his son, my wonderful nephew Christopher, to the 1991 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. Chris got to be a ball boy and it was so cool. They enjoyed a few other all star games, too. My brother Tim and cousin Bob Brennan attended the 1988 NBA weekend in Chicago where Jordan performed some serious magic at the old Chicago Stadium. Both Tim and Bob are gone now, I can't believe it.

5. I remember his album collection. Derek and the Dominos' Layla and other assorted love songs stands out, as does a ton of Crosby Stills Nash and Young, the great Woodstock album, some Beach Boys, and many, many others.

I could write more, and go on and on. I just don't feel like it today.

I feel helpless.

If you are wondering what do do? That's easy. I encourage you to make a small donation to the Jimmy V fund.

Click on the words Life...Death above or see:

http://www.jimmyv.org/help/givingtoday.cfm