My Sweet Billy Happy Birthday RIP

Today my brother Billy would have been 57.  Dennis and him were 10 years and 3 days apart. Both are gone now.  It is so bittersweet to know that the first week of October has three of my siblings and one uncle gone...three had their birthday this week, one died this week.  Needless to say I really don't like this week much.

Billy is my third brother.  He was a real character, in the sense that he tried to live his life on his terms.  His beginning was fraught with health issues that impacted his life forever.  His struggles were made worse when he had to be put into a foster home because his step-father did not want him to be in the house.  Billy always felt abandoned, and in reality he was.
He always fought to be part of a family, but he self-medicated his health issues, which created more distance.

 Billy struggled with many of the same demons my father struggled with, and had many of Daddy's traits.  The difference was my father had WWII to run away to, while Billy did not.  My father would have been proud of Billy though, especially when he went into the Army to try and get his life back on track. Unfortunately it did not work out that way.

I lost Billy in 1993 and miss him so much.  He had a fire and passion about life that the world tried so hard to put out.  He never gave up. I think back to when he was a baby, so ill that his prognosis was grim, rocking him and trying to get him to eat.  His life was short and full of turmoil, so I can only hope he is at peace now.

Rest in Peace Billy boy, have that piece of German Chocolate Birthday cake with Daddy, Mommy, Bobby, Rosie and Denny....I will always love you.