Vinny Dagostino (drug overdose)
Vinny was my neighbor in McLean, Va. We grew up together riding our bikes to the store. Playing kick the can in the streets. Skate boarding and lighting fire crackers.
Vinny would tag along with the brothers when we went to the parks to play hoops. He went to the local public high school and transferred to MY high school St Anselms after i graduated. He helped 6'10" Steve Castellon become the all time highest points per game player in DC history at 38 pts per game. Vinny also went on to win the MVP of the St Anselm's tournament his senior year.
Vinny's parent were divorced and it is funny that my best two neighborhood friends, Vinny and Rich Strong came from divorce families. In the 1960's, divorce families in America was still a no-no. Maybe that is why they were allowed to play with the Cuban Exile in the neighborhood.
I went off to college and lost track of Vinny. I know my high school coach Bob Dwyer got Vinny a scholarship to play at High Point in NC. But Vinny was into drugs by now and he drop out of college. He ended up working and then co-owning a law mower shop in 7 corners a famous street crossing in Fairfax, Va.
One day i got a call from the St Anselms alumni director that Vinny had been found dead in an apparent drug overdose.
Vinny never married and did not leave any children. I wish i could have been in the DC area after college to help him with his addiction. Sorry buddy.
John "Freddie" Wettach (computer specialist, home dad, father of 2)
Uncle Freddie was my college buddy. We both went to JU in Florida. He was a real good high school player and he tried to walk on at JU. But the rules changed and the NCAA got rid of Freshman ball and all those walk ons were left out in the dark.
I did not meet Uncle Freddie until my senior year in college. But we spent a lot of time together after that. We played in the City League in Jacksonville and did our routine of MNF football, Tues night it was Sink or Swim, WEd it was hump night, Thurs night it was TGIF (some really good partying), Friday and Sat it was the Frat parties...Sunday night was the only night we rested...lol
One of my favorite trips was to Charlotte for the ACC tourney. We had no tickets but went anyways. He drove a White Grand Prix a thing of beauty with 8 cylinder.
We also visited his hometown of Ashville several times. We had a great graduation trip to Key West and stopped in Miami along the way. He even had a fling with my girlfriend at the time named Regina who lived in Miami.
We were best of friend and that friendship grew as he got married (he was in my wedding I was in his)...and he started a wonderful family in Greensboro, NC.
But one day (after i talked to him on the phone Thurs night) he decided to take his life. Noone knows why and i have never asked his wife Maryann. He left two precious daughters that loved their daddy so much.
His best friends Abe and Ricky still communicate once a month with me over emails. When ever we see a horse race on TV, we think of Uncle Freddie. Whenever we see the ACC tournament, we think of uncle freddie. I can not wait to meet up with him in heaven. I miss you buddy. Sorry you thought taking your life was the only way out.
Why ?
Why did you do it ?
I will never understand.
Why would you want to leave your two daughters ?
That love you so much.
Why call it quits ?
When there was so much to live for.
What was causing the pain ?
The pain that you could not handle anymore.
Who were you trying to help ?
By calling it quits.
Did you not know you had friends ?
Friends that loved you.
Why did you not ask us for help ?
Maybe you did and we did not hear it.
Only God knows the answers.
And we have our own questions.
That we answer each and every day.
(My email to Uncle Freddie's wife after his death on Jan.25, 2008)
______________________________
>
> From: Suarez, Manny
> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7:10 AM
> To: Suarez, Manny
> Subject: goodbye
>
>
>
> goodbye freddie
>
> we will always remember you...your smile, your
> laughter
>
> thank you for the good times...they were always
> special when we were
> around you
>
> our deepest prayers to your lovely wife and two
> wonderful
> daughters....they will love and remember you with
> kindness
>
> love you always, manwell in tampa
>
> PS: what is your bet on the super bowl....what is
> the over/under ?
>
Frank Romano (math department chair 1980's, father of 2)
Frank came to Berkeley with his wife and he was our Math Department Chair for 2 or 3 years. He was a big man and ex-ball player. Although i never met his sons, he did speak of them also playing hoops.
Frank's wife was the college counselor and not too many people got along with her.
Frank accepted a job as Headmaster at school called Cambridge in Ft Myers area. We had heard that he was being very successful in raising funds and moving the school in the right direction. Then all of a sudden he committed suicide. He shot himself by the pool and ended up in the pool. Apparently a typical way for man to end their life, just in case the bullet does not do the job, they do drown.
Again i never knew why he did it. And to this day i still think about it. My current Headmaster and friend at Berkeley, Joe Merluzzi does not know either why he did it.
I have always felt sorry for his sons and grandchildren. They will never know their grandpa.
My son Brandon had a classmate whose Mom committed suicide. We went to that funeral and the minister talked at length about her battle with depression.
My best buddy now at Berkeley, Pastor Uhl, had a brother commit suicide.
One of my co-workers and math teacher at Berkeley, had a daughter commit suicide with a drug overdose. Her daughter had talked with her mom the night before on how well she was feeling and how good life was.
My sister and godmother Margarita Suarez specializes in fathers committing suicide. She has always told me that there is NO rational reason why people commit suicide.
People are not thinking rationally when they do it. Growing up she had thought about suicide, but i have read that we ALL think about suicide at one point in our lives.
Interesting enough many who try to committ suicide are hoping that they will be found. Man tend to be more successful since they use a gun rather than drugs.
http://satircentresingapore.tripod.com/id16.htm (Link at bottom of page)
Others who have committed suicide:
My new best friend Merv Uhl's brother called it quits.
Dr. J the basketball player's son had a drug overdose.
Coach Dungy's son hung himself.
A math teacher at my school daughter's also overdosed.
My son's school friend's mother committed suicide. We went to the funeral where is was talked about out in the open.
