I met John in 2009 when I rented a Studio/Apt. at 620. From the very first meeting, I could tell that he was a very special man. He was just starting to loose his voice and was having trouble speaking. When he told me that he was diagnosed with cancer, I felt very sad. He told me that it would be alright because he had lived a great life! He said that we should live life to the fullest, because we don't know what the future holds. ENJOY EVERY DAY! I will always remember the times we would talk and laugh about different things. I have four sons and two of them are Marines and they were in Iraq at the same time. One day john was over with bella and i was sitting outside crying, and he asked what was wrong. i told him my concerns about them and he said to me, Bev., they were well trained, they will be ok, because if they F--up, they have to come back home and deal with MOM!, we had the biggest laugh! That was john. He knew how to make me laugh and feel better,even when he was not feeling so good! I will miss him dearly! He was not just my Landlord, he was my FRIEND!!!

This is my story about John Zullo.  In my stressful times, I' ve learn to enjoy the simple things in life around me from John Zullo. I was a worry wart for so long that I forgot to enjoy life. I had family problems, health problems, etc. One day I had a day off and he showed up  to visit everyone at one of his properties near 17th street. I was outside my apartment hanging out and he approach to  me saying hello and how beautiful the day was . I said yeah, its nice  but I still feel depressed . He ask me what's wrong?  and so I told him all the issues I had and he was like " life is too short to allow problems to get the best of you". "Just live simple and enjoy." For me, that was not simple because I was introverted. I didn't want be around anyone. I was depressed and wanted to  be alone. I had shut myself from people for some years. So every other time he will pass by and talk about  the sunrise he sees every morning that its like seeing a smile from god everyday. He talks about the beach and riding on his boat and seeing the beautiful places. So I m absorbing this and I said " I need to break out and live life again". So every other time I had the priviledge to hang out with him either after work or on  Sunday afternoons. Suddenly after some time I felt a heavy weight off my shoulders, I had a ride on his boat, we've  pass by the beach cruisin in his truck. He was so thoughtful. He cheered me up alot and had made me laugh. So on my day off  or after work I would go out alot and meet new people spend time with my family etc. He soon became  a buddy and  was like a father to me.  He helped me see that family is important. That you always cherish your family.

"Be grateful always and live" Through him he helped me enjoy life to its fullest. He was cool as "the fonz"  and never letting troubles get to him. No matter how big they get. he conquered troubles the best he can and he will talk more about his family, dogs other pets that I connected with my family more. Especially with my dad and stepmom. So whenever I see a sunrise I know its God showing his love and that it means to live for him. I know that John' s spirit was strong and loving and it was from our heavenly father. To the Zullo family, friends and to all the world I'm grateful to have known a wonderful man like Ciriaco John Zullo.

Stacy kept me informed about the fun your father had handing out beers out to strangers while he was out on his dingy!  I can see this happening, a really cool man, never knowing a stranger I am sure, something like me!  If only there were more people in the world like your father it would be a better place to live.  Such an attractive man also, just like Dina.  You did so much for your father Dina, always being there for him through his life's challenges and all of his treatments.  As you know I have done a lot of care giving and still am with Loren.  You will never ever regret helping your loving father.  Your father is definitely with you all/Dina each and every day, you have to be tuned in to it but he will be by your side always and will give you signs, just be tuned in to it!  I just wanted to send you a little note to express our sympathy, God be with your family and your father Dina...Your friend, Sue & Loren Seggerman (Stacy Zack's mother and father as I know you are aware of) Take care!

This is a fun story about Grandpop, the dogs and I. It wasn't long after I had gone down to Florida to be with him when he decided it was time to take Shrimp out for her very first boat ride. I was naturally a little nervous, not knowing how my little dog would react, but Grandpop was enthusiastic about the idea. So we gathered up the dogs and our drinks (Pepsi for me and St. Paulie Girl for him) and headed down to the dock. Of course we would be taking the Zodiac out which doesn't leave much room for maneuvering and I was wondering how on earth I was going to get Shrimp in the little boat when, much to my surprise, she simply copied Baby Girl and hopped on in. Granted, once she was in she didn't dare move a muscle but I was fine with that and so off we went. As we cruised through the lake and down the canal to the Intercoastal, Shrimp remained rooted to her little seat and looking over the edge of the boat to the water beneath us, then back at Grandpop and I in wonder. I began to feel that everything was going to be okay, so I settled back in the seat and enjoyed the ride. After a while, Shrimp was up and moving around along with Baby Girl and getting more and more excited by all that she was seeing. The four of us made our way over to the sandbar where Grandpop said he was going to let the Baby go for a swim. "Sure, why not?" I thought. The water was warm and clear and shallow enough you could see the sand and rocks at the bottom. So in jumped the Baby and we happily watched her swim around the boat, Shrimp hopping all over the small boat to figure out just what was going on now. And then the bomb dropped. Grandpop told me the dog would need help getting back into the boat and I would need to provide that help. How nice of him to wait until after the dog was in the water to tell me! But what can you do? So I went to the side of the Zodiac and dropped down into the Intercoastal water- fully clothed, mind you. I didn't even have time to start making my way to the back of the boat to lift the red dog in when I heard a splash behind me. I could think of only one thing that could possibly have made such a splash and sure enough, a moment later Shrimp goes swimming by me! Grandpop of course thought it was the funniest thing that my little dog was so attached to me that she couldn't even bear five minutes apart. And so she jumped off into the unknown, just to remain by my side. After getting over my shock and amusement, I then lifted TWO dogs into the Zodiac before pulling my now thoroughly soaked self in as well. I was grateful for the clear skies and warm sun to help dry my clothes, and then we continued on our way. After her mad leap into the water, Shrimp was officially over her fear of the boat and stood at the very front, happily barking at anyone and anything that moved. Grandpop drove us all throughout the canals and down to the docks and 17th Street, both of us happy with how our little adventure had turned out.

My story is more of a connection rather than a story. It is about the sky, Dad & his Mother and Dad & I. From the beginning of Dad's illness he never showed any real worry. He always said, "everyone's gonna die eventually. I'm amazed I made it this far. I've lived a great life." To listen to Dad, he wasn't worried at all. He moved from one doctors appointment to the next with ease. We planned scans and tests. It was what we did. He incorporated it into his busy schedule of managing the buildings and making his daily stops to visit his friends at the docks, David's shop and the airport to let the dog run.  With the first round of radiation, he didn't skip a beat. I went with him everyday at 8:30am Monday through Friday for 40 days. It took all of 5 minutes. The first day was a little longer because they had to get the machine calibrated. But after that, it was a  piece of cake. So it was, a new stop on his daily route. We would talk about everything from the business to plants. It was a special time those 40 days. I started to understand my Dad's outlook on things. As I went with him on his daily treck around Fort Lauderdale to the places he loved. He would always tell me to look at the sky and see how beautiful it is. We would drive over the 17th street bridge and he would always say, "you see that, it's paradise, Ha! I live here, how lucky am I!" I would look up and yes it was pretty but, I had other things to think about. We would be tooling around day after day and no less than every hour he would tell me to look at the sky and see it's beauty. He never said why it was so beautiful to him, just that it was!
As this last week has passed by me in a fog, I now know why.....
I remember on one of my last visits before he went in the hospital, we were out in the boat looking to see if any fisherman had caught any "greenies" (dolphin). Dad went out almost everyday to see if he could score any fresh fish for dinner. We were heading toward Bahia Mar in the intercoastal it was around 5:30pm. Dad knew the time to be on the water to catch all the guys coming in from a day of fishing. It was a beautiful evening, warm with a colorful sky. The sun was starting to make it's way down to rest till the next day. Dad slowed the boat down and pointed to the sky. He then took out his pad of paper and wrote, "Special sky!" I said "yes" and continued to talk about whatever it was I was blabbering about. He then stopped the boat and wrote to me "Remember this sky. You don't see this just anywhere, just right here." I agreed with him that it was spectacular. It was, the colors were so vivid and sweeping. The purples, pinks, yellows and blues. I told him how lovely it was. He asked me if I knew why I should remember it. I told him I didn't. He then wrote to me, "That is my mother making it so beautiful." He seemed sad and deep in thought. I smiled and was touched by him sharing his thoughts with me about his mother. I never forgot that sky. At that moment, I realised he was thinking about his own mortality and being with his mother again.
He felt a very strong connection with the sky that night. It was the first time I ever saw him tear up and feel sad about his illness. But, he was at peace because he would go to the beautiful sky with his mother. It was a short special moment and I remember it vividly.

The night Dad died at 5:34pm, the same time Dad pointed out the sky to me that Nonna made, my brother John and I went to the front balcony and looked out over Fort Lauderdale. The sky was spectacular just as it was that evening on the boat. Three jet streams were criss crossed in the sky, so clear and bright! The sky was like a watercolor with  purples, yellows, pinks and blues as a back drop to the city buildings.  It was a reminder for us (my two brothers and I) to always watch the sky's beauty and feel it's love.

  Since Dad's death, I have seen 3 jet streams  criss crossing the sky on two different occasions!
I will forever see the warmth and beauty of the sky's Love! 
That's my Father making it so beautiful!