John Longeneckers' Funeral
Donation protected
Thursday morning, our beautiful son - one of two beautiful men of ours - was lost due to an accident in the bathtub.
Thursday, I said good morning to John. He was at his desk drawing in his world headquarters and he had a big smile on his face. He smiled back at me, “Hi, Dad.” In a few minutes, he decided to take a shower.
I was doing laundry and working in my office and decided to move John's car before the meter maid drove by. I knocked on the bathroom door to say I had moved his car. He did not answer.
I said it again and knocked harder. When he did not answer the third time, I broke in the door and I found John in the tub dead.
I saw post mortem lividity and found no pulse. I called 911 and it seems John had suffered an accident in the tub and could not have spoken or called out.
We are crushed at the loss of our son. His sister and older brother are heartbroken. There are many wonderful things which made up John from our boy into a man and he was a good son always. All three of our children are superb and kindly people, our boys are superb men and our daughter [Constance, pictured with John] is a loving and wonderful person. They are always helping. I have a dozen stories to tell at his service and I am organizing them at this time along with other arrangements. More are flowing in to us online.
One friend contacted me and in the conversation related to me that John told him how he missed his sister. Constance and John had for time put their computers together on one desk, head-to-head and they would draw together for hours. John had told his dear friend that he missed those hours with Constance, and he said how he missed her very much since she moved out to begin her life. Constance is an artist in her own right as well and very good, I think. Each of them has a worldwide following.
John's older brother, Edgar, has his own beautiful family now and has given us a beautiful granddaughter. He misses John terribly and continues to call - he asks what he can do to help. Of course, they do. Each of them is the very best of my wife and of me. Since John was born, I wished that he would be better tham I. He has done that. He is the best of us both and more.
I had to tell his circle of friends of his passing. I gathered some of them in our home and brought them up to speed. When they left, they stayed in the car at the curb for a long time. I crossed the street and asked them.
As I approached, I saw they were crying and trying to get it together before setting out on the road. They had a story to tell me as John's father, which they could not articulate when they were in our home moments before. I'll tell this story when it is time for me to take the podium on behalf of our child, their friend. There will be many stories about him, and some of the people calling I will ask to speak at John's services. Some will travel to say good-bye to John.
John was an artist when he left the emergency service. As such, you can imagine how he would come into contact with many people of all parts of life, many of whom could not tell their story to him at a gathering, but who in some enormous way benefitted from knowing him. I am receiving phone calls from people who located me as his dad and I see many, many online remarks of praise to a wonderful person. I was astonished to hear this story.
The boys who had come to visit us told me through moist eyes how John had been such a compelling influence on them. My wife is a trauma ICU nurse, and she sees a great deal of sorrow in her unit. At times, she must cry with the family, pray with the family, and give comfort to heartbroken people then and there as they are painfully overcome in sorrow. There is a great deal of sorrow in an ICU, and somehow - somehow - John had inherited the best of her and the boys in the car were relating to me how John had inspired them with positivity and hope by his example and encouragement. Some of John's friends had been struggling in their lives and when John became their friend they began to overcome their adversities and plan their lives and begin them with ernest. More was related to me in praise of John and there is a lot to say at his service about this kind and generous man. In our home, John was always helpful, willing and loving. Always. But what is coming in to us is not about his work as an artist, but about his kindness to others. I should have known that what he is to us in the home he was certainly that to everyone else.
I was so proud of my wonderful son that I could not find words. All I could manage was that you never know how powerful an influence you can be on someone. This is a love of people John has, and my son John had it for us all. As his father, I can say that my wife and I know we were loved by John. He knew the secret.
John was 27 when we lost him, and we're informed he's in a better place. John is Catholic.
We will meet again, my beautiful son.
I love you, John, and Mom and I will miss you for the rest of our life.
Thursday, I said good morning to John. He was at his desk drawing in his world headquarters and he had a big smile on his face. He smiled back at me, “Hi, Dad.” In a few minutes, he decided to take a shower.
I was doing laundry and working in my office and decided to move John's car before the meter maid drove by. I knocked on the bathroom door to say I had moved his car. He did not answer.
I said it again and knocked harder. When he did not answer the third time, I broke in the door and I found John in the tub dead.
I saw post mortem lividity and found no pulse. I called 911 and it seems John had suffered an accident in the tub and could not have spoken or called out.
We are crushed at the loss of our son. His sister and older brother are heartbroken. There are many wonderful things which made up John from our boy into a man and he was a good son always. All three of our children are superb and kindly people, our boys are superb men and our daughter [Constance, pictured with John] is a loving and wonderful person. They are always helping. I have a dozen stories to tell at his service and I am organizing them at this time along with other arrangements. More are flowing in to us online.
One friend contacted me and in the conversation related to me that John told him how he missed his sister. Constance and John had for time put their computers together on one desk, head-to-head and they would draw together for hours. John had told his dear friend that he missed those hours with Constance, and he said how he missed her very much since she moved out to begin her life. Constance is an artist in her own right as well and very good, I think. Each of them has a worldwide following.
John's older brother, Edgar, has his own beautiful family now and has given us a beautiful granddaughter. He misses John terribly and continues to call - he asks what he can do to help. Of course, they do. Each of them is the very best of my wife and of me. Since John was born, I wished that he would be better tham I. He has done that. He is the best of us both and more.
I had to tell his circle of friends of his passing. I gathered some of them in our home and brought them up to speed. When they left, they stayed in the car at the curb for a long time. I crossed the street and asked them.
As I approached, I saw they were crying and trying to get it together before setting out on the road. They had a story to tell me as John's father, which they could not articulate when they were in our home moments before. I'll tell this story when it is time for me to take the podium on behalf of our child, their friend. There will be many stories about him, and some of the people calling I will ask to speak at John's services. Some will travel to say good-bye to John.
John was an artist when he left the emergency service. As such, you can imagine how he would come into contact with many people of all parts of life, many of whom could not tell their story to him at a gathering, but who in some enormous way benefitted from knowing him. I am receiving phone calls from people who located me as his dad and I see many, many online remarks of praise to a wonderful person. I was astonished to hear this story.
The boys who had come to visit us told me through moist eyes how John had been such a compelling influence on them. My wife is a trauma ICU nurse, and she sees a great deal of sorrow in her unit. At times, she must cry with the family, pray with the family, and give comfort to heartbroken people then and there as they are painfully overcome in sorrow. There is a great deal of sorrow in an ICU, and somehow - somehow - John had inherited the best of her and the boys in the car were relating to me how John had inspired them with positivity and hope by his example and encouragement. Some of John's friends had been struggling in their lives and when John became their friend they began to overcome their adversities and plan their lives and begin them with ernest. More was related to me in praise of John and there is a lot to say at his service about this kind and generous man. In our home, John was always helpful, willing and loving. Always. But what is coming in to us is not about his work as an artist, but about his kindness to others. I should have known that what he is to us in the home he was certainly that to everyone else.
I was so proud of my wonderful son that I could not find words. All I could manage was that you never know how powerful an influence you can be on someone. This is a love of people John has, and my son John had it for us all. As his father, I can say that my wife and I know we were loved by John. He knew the secret.
John was 27 when we lost him, and we're informed he's in a better place. John is Catholic.
We will meet again, my beautiful son.
I love you, John, and Mom and I will miss you for the rest of our life.
Organizer and beneficiary
Edgar Acena
Organizer
Lakewood, CA
John Longenercker
Beneficiary
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