September is usually a very happy month for me in past years. My birthday, my brother Jim's birthday, my daughter Zoe's birthday, my friend Tammy's birthday, my friend Susan's birthday and about a dozen more birthdays, literally this month.
Last year was a sad year when we lost my brother in law Charles to cancer on my birthday. My birthday was a wash, but we were sure to celebrate Zoe's birthday 2 days later.
This year September started off with another tragedy. My dear friend Gina lost her husband Peter in a work related accident. He left behind 3 young children as well, Kelsey, Marissa and Andrew. We were all devastated. Gina was holding up well at the wake, in fact more than most visitors. She is such a strong woman. The funeral home was crowded with people of every age from young to old. His TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) were dressed in their finest work dress and lined the doorway to where his coffin lat, smothered by flowers. More flowers filled every room. Everywhere you looked were photos of Peter and his children. He loved those children with a love I've only seen in a few other fathers. I saw the kids, they seemed okay. It was a sad day.
Here is the newspaper report from
CBC
A Toronto transit worker who died on the job was remembered Wednesday as a devoted family man whose integrity and generosity inspired those around him.
A large crowd of friends, family and colleagues gathered for the funeral for Peter Pavlovski, 49, who died Friday after being hit by a service train just north of the city.
The married father of three was a Toronto Transit Commission employee for 22 years and had just celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary the week before his death.
His niece told the packed east Toronto cathedral, and those who watched the service on large screens in a second hall and outside, that her uncle was "someone you could look up to every day."
Peter Pavlovski, 49, died after being stuck by a subway maintenance train on Friday. (TTC)"We always knew that he was loyal, a very loyal, dedicated family man that worked extremely hard and had that Pavlovski work ethic at everything he did," Melanie Pavlovski said.
She choked up as she recalled her uncle's "distinct and contagious smile" and his close bond with his large family, whom he often brought together over lavish and delicious meals.
"We also learned in the past couple of days about how much he was respected and loved by his colleagues at the TTC," she said, noting many considered him part of their "work family."
A large number of TTC workers were among the mourners, many of them wearing black armbands — a tribute to a colleague killed in the line of duty.
TTC buses, streetcars and subways came to a halt at 10 a.m. and paused for a minute to honour him.
The commission's CEO, Andy Byford, said Pavlovski was well-known and very well-liked.
"There's a real sense of trauma, a real sense of shock, but I think today will translate really into a sense of pride that we knew him and that we loved him," he said outside the church.
Pavlovski was supervising a crew of seven workers on an elevated track area when he was struck by the southbound train just before 5 a.m.
A second man was also hit but suffered only minor injuries. Toronto police, the Ontario Ministry of Labour and the transit commission have all launched investigations into the incident.
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Then of course the loss of my brother to suicide many years ago, his birthday Sept. 11
and mourning the loss of all those killed in the attacks of 9/11 .
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My brother Charles who lost his battle with cancer last year, September 15, 2011.
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Needless to say, I do NOT want another September like this one.
