Antonio's Story

In Loving Memory of
Antonio Giovanne Garvey
December 8, 1999 - December 21, 1999

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED GOD HATH NOT PROMISED SKIES ALWAYS BLUE,
FLOWERS-STEWN PATHWAYS ALL OUR LIVES THROUGH;
GOD HATH NOT PROMISED SUN WITHOUT RAIN,
JOY WITHOUT SORROW, PEACE WITHOUT PAIN.
BUT GOD HATH PROMISED STRENGTH FOR THE DAY,
REST FOR THE LABOR, LIGHT FOR THE WAY,
GRACE FOR THE TRIALS, HELP FROM ABOVE,
UNFAILING SYMPATHY UNDYING LOVE...

SUNSET AND EVENING STAR
AND MAY THERE BE NO MOANING OF THE BAR,
WHEN I PUT OUT TO SEA.
BUT SUCH A TIDE AS MOVING SEEMS ASLEEP
TOO FULL FOR SOUND AND FOAM
WHEN THAT WHICH DREW FROM OUT THE BOUNDLESS DEEP
TURNS AGAIN HOME.
TWILIGHT AND EVENING BELL,
AND AFTER THAT THE DARK!
AND MAY THERE BE NO SADNESS OF FAREWELL
WHEN I EMBARK:
FOR THOUGH FROM OUT OUR BOURNE OF TIME AND PLACE
THE FLOOD MAY BEAR ME FAR
I HOPE TO SEE MY PILOT FACE TO FACE
WHEN I HAVE CROSSED THE BAR.

Antonio's Story On December 8, 1999, I gave birth to two boys. They were not identical twins.
I carried them for 34 weeks and 5 days. I had an emergency c-section on
December 8, 1999. My son Angelo Laurencio Garvey is here with me
and doing well.

My son Antonio Giovanne Garvey lived 13 days. He had chronic lung disease, he also had one kidney, and his other kidney was not functioning properly. He also had no urethra, and he was 3 lbs. 10 oz., 15 inches long. My husband and I were faced with so many decisions and challenges those 13 days, that by the 10th day
of his life we decided to let him go.

Antonio had a tube inserted into his kidney on his third day of life, and he began to bleed internally on the 8th day. Then he started to retain fluid and blisters came out all over his body, turning into sores. I had a hard time letting go, especially since they were my first babies, and I did infertility treatments for 5 years to finally become pregnant.

But Antonio was not going to have a quality of life, and he was suffering. My husband and I took him off the ventilator on December 21, 1999. We held him, and he lived 45 minutes.

We had a funeral for Antonio, followed by cremation on December 23, 1999. There is not a day that goes by that he does not come to mind.

Sometimes I regret my choice, but I know that I would have only been selfish, and that Antonio is in a better place smiling, singing and watching over his brother
and myself.

A MOTHER'S LOVE I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK INTO YOUR EYES
TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO HEAR YOU CRY
TO KNOW YOU LOVED ME TOO.
I DIDN'T NEED TO HOLD YOUR HAND
TO CHERISH YOU FOR ALWAYS WITHIN MY WOMB,
WE SHARED OUR HEARTS.
YOU TOUCHED MY SOUL, YOU SWEETENED MY SPIRIT.
YOU GAVE ME MEMORIES I'LL ALWAYS HOLD DEAR.
YES, MY HEART ACHES SINCE YOU DEPARTED TOO SOON,
BUT A MOTHER'S LOVE DOES NOT END WITH DEATH.
FOR YOU ARE MY CHILD FOREVER, MY LOVE IS YOURS. IN MEMORY OF JASON, CHRISTOPHER, AND RYAN
BY THEIR MOTHER, KATHY SCHUMACKER.

This is Angelo and his grandpa, who passed away last August. He is an angel in heaven also, looking over his surviving grandson here on earth. We all miss him desperately too.
WHEN GOD CALLS HIS CHILDREN HOME,
THEIR ANGELS COME TO TAKE THEM BY THE HAND,
LEADING THEM ALONG A SHINING PATH
INTO A PLACE OF PEACE AND LIGHT
HOME AT LAST, THEY SEE THE LORD OPEN HIS ARMS,
WELCOMING THEM WITH A SMILE INTO THE EVERLASTING JOY
THAT IS HIS LOVE.
(MAY THE LORD SEND SPECIAL ANGELS TO COMFORT YOU
WITH THIS SURE KNOWLEDGE YOUR LOVED ONE IS HOME
AND IN THE LORD'S BEAUTIFUL PRESENCE.)
~ AUTHOR UNKNOWN

To Maureen: Life to god is a very precious and important gift.
And he takes every joy and pride in selecting his candidates
to take on the role of motherhood and to mold the lives of his selected angels.

Angels that have been sent from above,
to bring joy, peace, laughter,
coupled with cries and sleepless nights,
and tiresome days to their chosen mothers.
Mothers chosen: to bear their pains, to mold their lives,
to light their way, to direct their path
to love and to encourage them along.
A task that can never be taken lightly.

GOD being so perfect in his ways,
executed with excellence, and accuracy,
from the time he selected that egg,
to the time of its fertilization,
creating life, forming its organs
and to the miraculous birth of an angel.
Maureen, because he loved you so much, and thought so highly of you,
beacuse he understood you when no one else could,
because he know that, only you could do
that which is to be done, and to make the choices that needed to be made,
he blessed you with two angels
"Angelo Laurencio Garvey and Antonio Giovanne Garvey."
He thought for a moment that heaven would be ok
without two of his most pride possessions,
so on December 8th he sent to earth Angelo and Antonio.
Their mission to us is unknown but their destiny to us will unfold.
Angelo today lives on a fruitfull and prosperous life,
Antonio, left us a legacy, a legacy that you and us all
will carry on in our hearts forever.

Maureen, I know that you have spent endless nights crying, asking why,
the pain too much to carry,
the memories too hard to face and the thoughts few, but many.
The love you hold becomes a symbol of life
as he walks across your heart like foot prints in the sand.

In the flesh he was with us only for a while,
but in the spirit he will always be by our side.
His presence here on earth will always be remembered,
as he has altered the stages of many lives.
As with angels lighting the way in a dark and lonely life
so has he lit the way for many to see,
lost wounded mothers finding hope through his story
and sustenance in times when they are wary.
He paved the way for Angelo,
and they traveled with you for 35 weeks,
having their own little conversation as they bonded secretly within you.
So has he opened our eyes to see that life is precious,
that love is a sea going on for eternity.

He has left his foot print in our hearts
and for you those tracks have been molded into medals of gold.
He has reached heights in his life time
in the hearts of those that knew him,
for many have not been able to bring the love and joy that he has brought to us all.

I know, deep within my heart,
he is looking down now from heaven
watching over you and Angelo.
I know that this is a hard situation for you to handle
but in closing let me share something that takes me through it all.

I believe that love never dies,
and everything that is love never dies.
He is love, and love lives within our hearts,
You can speak to him and he will hear you,
because as for him you are love, and you live within his heart,
and you can make that heart-to-heart connection.
Share your deepest feelings, bottle them not inside,
for love is like a river ever flowing,
your thoughts are like a stream -- crystal and clean.

I pray daily that god will strengthen you and enrich you
with more love daily, as you continue to shower that love
for both your angels on Angelo.
Love your friend Anthony Meikle.

This globe, and the poem and award below, are gifts from Maureen's dear friend Sheri.
A Brother's Secret
Why must I leave now?
And why must I go?
I have a little brother, and I'll be sure to miss him so.

You must not be sad, son,
The time will one day come.
When you and your brother will once again be one.

You have but one path, and your brother has another.
Thats why God choose you to be his little brother.

He misses you " oh so much", this is truly a fact.
This is what we call up here in Heaven, the Loving Brother Pact.

But what will I do up here in Heaven all through the day?
You'll be his Guardian Angel, and sit and watch him play.

And do you think he'll remember me, for he is my little brother?
"Oh yes" he's told about you everyday by a woman called your mother!

Oh, and does she miss me? This I need to know...
Oh yes, son, she does as do her tears flow.

So don't be upset, son, you'll meet again one day.
But as for you right now, son , I wanted you to stay.

You see I have plans for your Brother, your Mother and you,
And one day you'll discover that it's a "Brother Secret"
between him and you.......
Written for My Dear Friend Maureen and her Precious Angel Son,
on one of those sleepless nights. Love Sheri......

"May the Guardian Angels wings swaddle Antonio in Heaven." Welcome to Sheri's Angel Pages

This is Antonio's surviving twin, Angelo Laurencio Garvey.
Click on the words below to see the page dedicated from Angelo to his brother, Angel Antonio...