missing you

I had the privilege to take Jordan to his first NBA game. My beautiful Michael, your presence Was missed more than words can ever express. I tried my best to make it fun so he could have a good experience. I wasn’t able to explain everything the way that you would have but I promise you that I made sure to share some of your favorite basketball analogies  !
“...rebounding is the ability to bounce back and get up after falling down ...“
...then, I even recalled how much you loved
Coach K ...& his basketball  analogies came to mind as well...
"look at the members of a team like the fingers of a hand. Individually, the fingers aren't as powerful as all of them coming together into a fist."
Well we love & miss you in a POWERFUL way!!
I definitely took 1 for our team and I reminded Jordan how much you loved him!
                                     ♥️your wife.

Michael,
This basketball season makes me feel close to you, as all I can do is think of how excited you always were- come March madness. I remember trying so hard to make the perfect snacks so that we can enjoy the games together. You were always so animated! I also miss watching you coach Michael. I was always so proud of being your wife! I miss watching from the benches and cringing as you yelled like a maniac. Most times I would try to hide from parents, worrying that you yelled too loudly at the boys... but the truth is:
** Every young man that you coached became better not just athletically but truth be told, your guidance & strong character powerfully instilled such confidence and discipline in these young men! Every young man that had the priviledge to have been coached or mentored by you Michael, became thee absolute testimony of what a drastic POSITIVE impact you left in this world!!!

I know so many of your former players still live by the morals & work ethics you drilled into them! Damn Michael, I am proud of the beautiful man I married!
Phenomenal coach, teacher, leader & mentor!! We were always so proud of you my love.
❤️loving & missing you immensely, 
                                           your wife
                                                  Sophia

Only 1 like you!
Most Beautiful man ...inside & out!
I am forever in love with 
Michael Anthony Rivera! ❤️

Forever in awe of you!
Forever in love with you !

Forever honoring and remembering and missing and loving you...
Michael Anthony Rivera

November 11th is such a special date- Michael your life was such a blessing to this world! Love you papi 

today we would be celebrating your 41st birthday with you. Instead yes it’s painful not to have you here- but everyday we celebrate your life!
I promise you!
The way you made us laugh & feel so much love is beyond words. Thank you. 

no pasa un día en que no extrañe tus abrazos y besos. My heart is in heaven..

I miss how your hugs & kisses. 

March 13 marked your "Angel-versary"
-very sad day for us -
but something tells me it's only because here on Earth we can not fully comprehend the depth of God's Heaven and plan...
Praying real hard- we all are individually praying but in UNITY in
our LOVE for you Michael Anthony.

We Honor you Michael everyday in the way we choose to live our lives. We Honor you with trying to stay positive & faithful. We honor you by the love & loyalty we have for each other in your absence. We miss you and will continue to grow in our Faith in God so we can better understand His Plan.

❤️

after watching this video, I miss you all the more, even your handwriting on this white board makes me treasure this memory all the more!
In this video- Michael had written a note to Jordan from his
"elf on the shelf" (who he proudly named Bunky).
Till this very day, Jordan still talks about this very night.
Michael had bought him the Roger Rabbit movie collection toys!
Super classic! Baby, we still have them in a special place.
Always & Forever we will Love you, Miss you Michael...

I always loved how happy Michael was to have our families over! He loved for Jordan to experience all of the happiness involved when our most special loved ones visited & celebrated together in our home! There were many Happy times at our house!

I am so grateful that Michael believed in 
“quality time over quantity” he was so invested in “being present” & enjoyed being in those special moments! ❤️ 
He taught me so much.... we all need to stop worrying about the past or anticipating thefuture and whole-heatedly live for right NOW.

When a child loses a father, he is repeatedly told that "his father will always be with him"-
that's so difficult for a kid to understand! 
 A better interpretation I've accepted is that if that child displays those better qualities of their beloved Father- then YES, in fact, the father is always with him- or rather "WITHIN HIM."

When I was pregnant with Jordan, he would talk to Jordan in the belly all the time. He made me sit and watch Basketball Games all the more, trying to explain plays & strategies- lol. He said he needed Jordan to hear his voice and feel like he was spending time with Papi doing "boy things." Oh yes, not kidding at all! Michael was convinced it was a boy and had already named him at only 4 weeks gestation. He wrote this very affirmation down:
"Our baby boy's name is Jordan Anthony Rivera & he will be the happiest, strongest, most intelligent individual ever and will shine in everything!"  I remember reading it & thinking how I loved his excitement but hey "wait!" what nerve of him to name our child without even letting me be apart of the naming process-lol. So we made a bet that evening about something silly- don't remember exact details (winner will chose NAME)  I obviously lost.
Today, Jordan Anthony Rivera is exactly what Michael dreamed of. It is bitter-sweet to witness certain qualities & attributes developing in Jordan that remind me so much of Michael. There are things Jordan does today like rewinding parts of movies/shows to analyze each part & discuss...Jordan is unaware that his father would do that so often. 
Analytical minds- for sure! 
Jordan also has become quite sarcastic- his sense of humor is far beyond his years;
Everyday he is full of nonstop clever remarks, he then smirks at me and for a moment-WOW! 
I get so LOST in those beautiful eyes...
I see the love of my life literally & figuratively... 

Michael you always volunteered to run errands to make everything easier and always opted to take baby boy with you! So grateful- 

Michael was born on his due date. We teased him a lot cause it really was the only time he was on time.  He came at 1:55 pm, two days from Thanksgiving.  I spend Thanksgiving with him in the hospital. He was wide awake with the most beautiful blue eyes. (Michael didn’t believe that he had blue eyes until Jordan was born with blue eyes). As a toddler Michael was able to skip, and ride a big wheel.  As he got older I saw how smart he was for a young boy! By the time he was 3 1/2 he was riding a two wheeler. He played Tball at the age of 5, that’s when we knew he was a natural athlete. He started kindergarten at an early age since the cut off date was in December. By the time he was in third grade his IQ was 136.  He loved playing with his character toys and of course his big brother.  He played baseball, football and basketball in High School. His love was basketball and played college ball.  He knew exactly what he wanted to do after college he wanted to b a PE teacher. Even tho his professors told him he was too smart to just be a gym teacher. (Which Michael always got a kicked out of). Michael started working in Newark Public Schools straight out of college. He always said, “I can make a difference!”. Hearing from students,  I know Michael did make a difference!!!

Lord, the Bible says You are “close to the brokenhearted & rescue those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). Draw close to me & my son, Jordan. Help us as we find our healing path; help us not to grieve like those who haven’t discovered Your kindness and mercy;
We believe you will continue to lift us up and we hold strong to our Faith!
If in our time of loss, we do not doubt your Love- then we believe no one should! Please help us to always believe that tomorrow will be better, and the next day will be easier... Guide us to be Your living reflection of true Faith.  Amen.

Prayers always & yet still forever 

(here is a video I had never seen before but found in your phone)
You always knew how to live fully and enjoy the simplest of pleasures- now it is testimony that you were more aware of how to
LIVE fully & LOVE fully!
thank you God for the love of father & so

---

Michael you had the most amazing bond with our son, Jordan. I was always behind the camera trying to capture it- simply beautiful moments- they are my most special memories! 
Jordan & I were beyond Blessed to have you

   Summers in Puerto Rico with you were so blissful! You loved to go eat Mofongo con camarones, arroz con gondules & all the best Puerto Rican dishes- we would enjoy drinking our Caribbean cocktails from coconuts and you would stop and talk to everyone we came into contact with! 
    You would talk about how we should just leave Jersey behind, move to the island & simply never come back to the cold. When you were on a subject- oh boy, there was no stopping you from chatting it up for hours- (me too)- lol. Talking for hours, laughing till our bellies hurt and even more special to me was sitting & watching Jordan play.
    You would constantly repeat "Sophia, how the hell did we make something so beautiful?" I would argue with you about how much Jordan looked like you, walked like you...but you would say "no way, he is too cute!" I would constantly remind you how handsome you were- and you would say "nah, you just married me for my money!" lol- Too funny, and it was freakin' nonstop with you. Seriously though- in my eyes, you were thee most Beautiful Man in this Universe, hands down!!! You were my dream come true, everybody knows it.
     We would put Jordan to sleep earlier just so we can run to the kitchen, make fun snacks, binge watch all the good shows....you would pause every couple minutes just to analyze everything. Staying up wayyyy past midnight, on weekends & talking till the sun came up- my God how fun it was to be your wife! Thank you for always stopping mid-conversation to say you love me. It always took me by surprise because we always wound up in such deep analytical discussions about the simplest things and you would randomly say it...and you were so affectionate. I miss your hugs & kisses
I love you and my heart is forever broken Mike, I am forever in love with you & miss you too much Papito. No one can possibly fathom my pain...it's agonizing!

Thank you for being such a great husband to my daughter & thank you so so much for my grandson, Jordan. He brings us all so much laughs -he is just like his father. We miss you every single day and promise to always remind Jordan how much you love him. Heavenly Birthday ❤️Prayers 
Sonia & Lou

His love for his son was like no other!  I remember the day Jordan was born, how happy he was.  He tried to share him but just wanted to kiss and hug him all the time. Michael was one of a kind. He was kind, loving and funny! I will never ever forget my beautiful son!!