My Week Before Christmas 2012

MY WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and it's been one heck of an emotional week for sure.

It was my little sister's birthday last Friday, December 14, and I treated her, my toddler niece and our parents to a nice sushi lunch to celebrate while our other 6 kiddies were at school.

What fun we had, after having just attended my twin daughters' fourth grade "Frosty the Snowman" play earlier that morning. 

Walking back to my car, my iPhone flashed with breaking news:  A gunman  had open-fired at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school, killing 26 people, including 20 children.  My heart grew heavy.  I wept.

The next few days were spent praying for these sweet little angels and the six teachers who tried so valiantly to protect them, their bloody bodies still in their classrooms, their parents not allowed to see them for close to to 48 hours because it was a crime scene.

I tried to imagine the pain the parents were going through, being told a madman went on a killing spree in the place their babies went to be safe and to learn, then waiting to be reunited with them, to see if they made it out alive.

It must've been an eternity in that firehouse, sitting and waiting for your child as the first responders slowly gathered and released the survivors, one by one, to their parents. How happy the must've been to see their kids... how impossibly sad for those whose children never emerged.
Like so many of you, especially those who are lucky enough to be parents, I've been crying off and on this past week, often unexpectedly, many times uncontrollably.

This past week I've hugged my three young daughters longer, tighter, and more often.  Because of this unprecedented tragedy, I am thankful for them, their health, their uniqueness.  Because of this senseless barbarism, I am prouder of their strengths, more patient with their weaknesses.

As the funerals with the child-sized coffins began this week, I learned the names and saw the head shots of other parents' children, the people they loved as much as I love mine, the very ones they spent their whole lives wishing for, loving and protecting.

I read how one boy, whose twin sister survived the tragedy, was Giants fans. He was excited he got a Wii for his birthday two weeks ago.  I read about a beautiful, blue-eyed, 6-year-old girl who, a few days before she died, had asked Santa Claus for a pony.

How heart-wrenchingly ironic she was the one who gave her parents the best Christmas gift of all, when they found her journal.  In it she drew pictures in crayon of all the people she "loved most in the world."  Her mother said it was a great comfort as she buried her sweet little daughter.

Last week I hugged my three daughters longer and tighter, and more often. Because of this unprecedented tragedy, I am thankful for my kids, their health, their uniqueness.  Because of this senseless barbarism, I am prouder of their strengths, more patient with their weaknesses.  

Because of unimaginable suffering endured by 26 families from such evil last week, mourned by Americans and by all the world, I continue to pray and decided to focus on some happiness brought forth and made possible from some of the good people do.

 

On Tuesday evening, December 18, against my better judgment because of the somber mood I'd been in, I took a break from my sadness and attended the holiday party of the Staten Island Zoo, for which I serve on its Board of Trustees.

I was happily reminded of just how kind and generous some people are, the exact and extreme polar opposite of the events a few days earlier.

This holiday party was hosted by Elvis Duran, the very popular and charismatic host of the nationally syndicated Z-100 Elvis Duran Morning Show, an outstanding friend to the Staten Island Zoo. 

Elvis hosted the event as a token of appreciation and to celebrate the tireless work of all the docents, staff and volunteers at the zoo.  And might I add he is also one of the nicest people I've ever met. For someone on air, he has no airs.

Elvis is one of the good guys. When I first met him at the Staten Island Zoological Society Ball last March when he was recognized for his generous support of this important cultural institution, I was very impressed by his sincerity.  

He is a gentleman. He is very genuine and looks you straight in the eye when he talks to you (so underrated but oh so important, I feel), unaffected by the inevitable hordes of other people constantly vying for his attention. 

And he is funny like crazy, even more so than his Z-Morning Zoo, and that's saying a lot. We got to talking about about dentistry and he told me that his dentist in Tribeca talked him into doing Invisalign.  It didn't work out because he kept leaving the trays in bars. Now that's hilarious!

His passion for our "boutiquey" Staten Island Zoo is contagious.  He uses his national platform on the Elvis Duran Morning Show to encourage others to contribute, as well.  What's better than that?  

Not much, except for maybe his kindness in calling the zoo a few days after Hurricane Sandy, offering to help if anything of the animals were affected, promptly treating the entire staff to lunch.

Elvis feel a connection to the Staten Island Zoo, "The Biggest Little Zoo in New York" and he put his money where his mouth is. Talk is cheap but purchasing three kangaroos, two tamanduas and fennec fox for all visitors to enjoy year-round screams love. 

Add to that list an anteater, named EJ (Elvis Junior), who he flew to Miami to handpick and bring back, and three scarlet macaws that Elvis paid for to be transferred from the Cincinnati Zoo to right here on the North Shore. 

Elvis even bought a new cage filled with bamboo and tree limbs for the zoo's red panda, Henry, so he can be displayed year-round. He thinks our zoo has the potential to be a world-class withe the continued help of supporters. 

Elvis is far too modest to admit just how much dough he's forked over in support of our zoo, but trust me when I tell you, it is a big number. I've seen the financials. The rumors are true:  He is very generous.

Elvis has encouraged some of his high-profile friends to get involved with giving. Both Rosanna Scotto of "Good Day New York" and Eric Trump (Donald's son) have recently donated. Construction of the Amur Leopard Exhibit and the Conservation Carousel at the zoo will soon be under way.

Last Tuesday Elvis was responsible for one thing: throwing one of the best holiday parties, ever. The venue was great:  The spectacularly awesome, breathtakingly beautiful, the-only-way-to-believe-it-is-to-see-it, brand-new Above Rooftop at Nicotra's Hilton.  It was that stunning.

We danced. We drank cosmopolitans. We were treated to some really great gourmet food and hobnobbed with a celebrity and some Staten Island dignitaries.  

For a few hours the Staten Island Zoo family enjoyed each other, talked about our children.  We discussed recovery from Hurricane Sandy and toasted the holidays.

Most importantly, Elvis gave the staff and volunteers at Staten Island Zoo a break from our sadness. To me there is no better gift.  Thank you, Elvis.

This holiday season, my hope is that God grants 26 families peace and courage to heal from tragedy.  My hope is that our children and their children will never see anything like this again.  My hope is for a better world.

I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a healthy holiday season.