ForeverMissed
Large image
Stories

Share a special moment from Rinaldo's life.

Write a story

Happy Birthday, Darling!

July 15, 2023
Happy Birthday, my dearest darling Rex! I think of you daily, and so does your youngest child, our Christian, and his son, Michael (he's a pharmacist!). Both Christian and Michael inherited your artistic talent, though they paint and sculpt as a hobby instead of using art as a working income. With Christian's birthday in January, all of your children have now lived longer than you my darling. Though I love and miss you every day, I know you'll be happy that your children are thriving. All six of them are. The Vian family has turned out to be a family of boys, so far. You had four boys, double your girls, and all of your boys (who had children) had boys. There's Elliot and Drew, and of course, two Christians, one belonging to Corey and our Christian, of course.

Happy Birthday, my darling. If you only know one thing, please let it be this: I love you and miss you every single day!

All my love forever and ever,

Camille

We Will Always Be Together

July 15, 2022
Dearest, darling Rex,

Here we go. It's time for you to celebrate another birthday. Although we aren't together physically and haven't been for many years, I'm always with you in spirit, my darling. You always live in my heart and in my soul. 

Your son has grown into the most wonderful man, darling Rex! And he's the child who looks most like you. He's also inherited all of your artistic talents as has his own son, who has the Vian features and coloring. You would be so proud of them both, my darling, and they would love you so! I am so sad you weren't here to see Christian grow up, but at least you got to celebrate his first birthday with him. What a wonderful day that was!

There's no one like you, my darling. There never has been and there never will be. You are the sweetest, most darling man I've ever met. When I think of you, all I can think of is love, compassion, kindness, responsibility, and joy. I wish we could have been one of those couples who were happily married for thirty, forty years, but given the difference in our ages, we knew that wasn't going to happen, but that was okay. I do have to admit that I feel some sadness that you departed this life before our wedding, my darling. How I would have loved to have been your wife, even for a short time, but I know I was greatly loved by you. Loved by you more than by anyone in the world. And I also know that you loved me above all others. Even above the children, Christian and his half-brothers and half-sisters. And that love is enough to sustain me for a lifetime, darling. It is more love than most people feel in a lifetime together.

Know I love you, my darling, and please know I think of you every day and every night, and I hold you close to my heart. I always will. Please watch over me, dearest Rex, and please watch over Christian and Michael, too. We will love you forever, and, God willing, we will all be together again.

Love,

Camille xoxoxox

Can't Believe It's Been So Long!

April 5, 2022
My darling Rex,

I can't believe you've been gone so many years! I've missed you every minute of every day. You were "the one," Rex, darling, the one big love of my life, the love that most people never get. We were so lucky, and I'm so blessed to have darling Christian in my life. He looks just like you, he speaks just like you, and he's so talented, just like you. He draws, he paints, he sculpts, he designs, he does it all. I wish you could have lived to see him grow up, especially because you're the reason he's here. You saved our little son's life that day in the hospital waiting room. I can never thank you enough for that, Rex darling. Without Christian, my life would be so impoverished. He is the best of both of us, darling, the very best.

Of course, I miss you, especially on this day, but I miss you every day. I think of you every day. I think of all the wonderful days we've had more than this day, the day that took you away from me. I remember our first real date when we sat side-by-side in the restaurant, and I was so nervous I ate nothing but French Onion soup. I remember the time you took Dana and me out for spaghetti, and we both laughed at how much such a little boy could eat. I remember the wonderful night you gave me my engagement ring, the ring set in antique Italian silver. I treasure it. I treasure you. I remember us laughing in bed, I remember us scared together when baby Christian was ill, and I remember the joy we felt when we brought him home, healthy and happy at last. We packed a lifetime of memories into two years, darling. And we'll be together again...someday. I know we will. Wait for me, my darling. Please. Wait for me.

I love you.

Camille

Happy Birthday, Darling Rex!

July 15, 2021
Happy birthday, darling Rex!

This has been such a crazy year, for me and for all six of your children as well as your grandchildren. I know you would have sailed through it just fine, darling, and, while I did well, I know I would have done better with you by my side.

But, you are always in my heart, darling, and your spirit fills my soul with love and contentment. We have a son! We have a son who has grown up to look just like you! And he's artistic, too. He does fabulous work in every medium: oils, watercolors, pastels, metal, clay, you name it, Christian can work in it. His wonderful son, Michael, your youngest grandson, is also quite artistic. One of his favorite Christmas presents is always an art set. (Did you know that with one exception, all your grandchildren are boys? The Vian family, which began as a family of girls, became, with Mark's birth, a family of boys.)

I relive our unique and glorious love story every day. Who else gets to have a child with the man they fell in love with when they were only seven? Of course, you were thirty-two, but I still felt you were the most handsome man I'd ever met! And when I grew up and we went on our first date, it was heaven. The second one, of course, was even better. I loved every single minute I spent with you, and I hope and pray that we'll be together again some day. Reunited as one. I think we will be.

Happy birthday, my darling darling. I love you more than life itself.

Love forever and ever,

Camille

Dearest Rex

April 17, 2021
Dearest, darling Rex,

Please don't think because I failed to write something here on the anniversary of your death, that I didn't think of you more than ever on that day. Of course I did. I didn't write because I simply didn't know what to say. There are no words to convey the sadness, the overwhelming grief, the emptiness I felt the day I lost you, and still do feel. Time does not heal all wounds. There are some wounds, and your death is one of them, that are not even blunted by the passage of time. If anything, time, and every day I live without you, have deepened my grief. It is now a part of who I am. But grief aside, I would not trade our time together for a lifetime with anyone else.

I also feel joy, my darling. Of all the women in all the world, you loved me. You were going to marry me. We were lovers. We knew passion. We knew every detail of each other's body. We knew how each other tasted, smelled, felt. We knew comfort. We were totally trusted best friends. Every night, I remember how I fell asleep in your arms, talking, laughing, crying, planning the future with our beautiful son. We knew the joy and exhilaration of simply being together. We knew the familiarity of being able to talk together about anything, to be totally open and honest, without fears. We knew the intimacy of pregnancy, of bringing a child into the world together. Sometimes, my dearest, dearest darling, I think maybe we had too much. Do any two people ever get to share as much as we shared? Do they get to feel as much joy, comfort, and connection? Though some will say they do, I very much doubt it.

As long as I live, my darling, you will live in my heart and in my soul. It is the memory of you and our glorious days together that allows me to see the full beauty of this world. To see through the pain and sadness that engulfs us during this time to the beauty that never changes. It is the memory of you that fills me with joy, with hope, with the drive to accomplish. To live.

The gifts of the spirit you gave me are incalculable, my dearest, darling soul. Thank you so very much. How did I get so very, very lucky? Through all of eternity, I can say, "Rex loved me." I love you, too, darling. You are my life, and in our wonderful son, runs your life and mine. He is you and me. He is what we are together, the best of both of us. He would have loved you as deeply as I do, darling, albeit in a very different way, of course, but deeply. He cherishes you, and your heritage, now.

These are my thoughts, my darling. At least the ones for which I could find words. They don't convey the breadth and depth I feel, but in this world, they will have to do. Only the heart hears what another heart speaks to it. I know your heart hears mine.

I love you, my darling. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you forever.

Love forever and ever,

Camille


Your Time Together was So Short

March 4, 2021
I've had so many people tell me they are sorry my time with Rex was so short. We began dating when he separated from Ruth, and when he died, Ruth and Rex had worked out the details of their divorce and Ruth had filed. It was pending. Of course I would have loved to share a lifetime of joy with Rex, but just because we only had a few years, doesn't diminish our love. We shared more adventure, joy, fun, and love than most couples do in a lifetime together. We shared everything. We knew each other's soul. The love and intimacy Rex gave me is more than enough to sustain me for eternity. I do regret that Christian did not know his father as an adult. He tells me he has vague memories of his father's hands and his smile and his voice, but I would have loved for them to know each other man-to-man. They would have been best friends as well as father and son. Christian is definitely Rex's mini-me. He looks like Rex, talks like Rex, smiles like Rex, has a voice and laugh like Rex. His values are the same as Rex's. I hope, when the pandemic is over, Christian and I will be able to travel to Italy together, in honor of his sweet, darling father.

Happy Birthday My Darling Rex!

November 10, 2020
(Moved from Life Section, where it was originally published on the anniversary of Rex's birth.)
My Darling Rex,
It seems impossible that it's been 46 years since you've left this earth. I had the same thought in January, when Christian celebrated his 47th birthday. I still remember so vividly the overwhelming sadness we felt when we took Christian to the hospital, so afraid that he would never grow any older. I also remember the joy when we brought him home. I kept remarking how fat and healthy Christian had become (and you kept smiling), and we both marveled at how much he looked like you! He's your mini me in every way, darling! He's the child who looks most like you, sounds most like you, and has your mannerisms. He is so precious to me just because of who he is, of course, yet doubly so because he's yours. He has your smile, your sweetness, your charm. Please protect him, Rex. Be your youngest son's guardian angel and keep him safe. The days here are so uncertain right now, and they are so risky. More than ever, we need to feel your love and protection, just as we felt it in life. Know you are loved, darling, and you are loved - and missed - more and more with each passing day.
Love Forever and Ever,
Camille

Happy Birthday My Darling Rex!

July 15, 2019

My darling Rex,

It's so hard for me to imagine that today would have been your 95th birthday! My grandparents lived to be more than 100, however, so I can't help but wish you were still with us, healthy and happy. What a storehouse of wonderful memories we would have! We would have been married for 45 years! Who knows how many times we would have visited Italy or how many children we would have had? But I'm so very thankful for the time we did have together, for our darling son, and for our love that will last forever.

You are a grandfather, Rex! Mostly of boys, but a grandfather nonetheless. Your youngest grandchild is Christian's son, Michael Scott Vian. He looks a lot like you, and that just shows me how strong the Vian genes are. He even has the "Vian" hair color and eye color, and Christian continues to look like your mini-me!

Michael, Christian, and I are so proud of you, darling and all you accomplished in life. We miss you every day, and we will love you forever!

Happy birthday, my darling!

I love you forever!

Love,

Camille

Remembering Rex

April 5, 2019

Today marks the 45th anniversary of my beloved Rex's death at the age of forty-nine. As I do every day, I remember him with tremendous love and deep sadness, but also with great joy. Rex brought more love and joy into my life in the years we shared than I've experienced in all the other years of my life put together.

Rex could be serious, and, because he was a man of great passion, he could lose his temper on occasion. (He only lost it with me once, and then, only momentarily.) But, at heart, Rex was a happy, joyful person, who loved life and embraced it to its fullest. I do my best to follow his example, As for our son, embracing life with joy is something that comes naturally, a trait I believe he inherited from his dad.

Wherever you are dearest Rex, please know you are loved, and please know we will be reunited some day. The love and passion we shared - and still do share - is truly stronger than death. We will find each other again. Until that day, I hold you in my heart, wrapped in love and joy. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving our little boy.

I love you, darling.

Love,

Camille

The Only Love of My Life!

February 14, 2019

Remembering, on Valentine's Day, the great love and passion Rex and I shared for three-plus years. No, it wasn't long, but a love that great and that passionate is enough to sustain one for a lifetime! Rex and I shared more in three years than most couples share in a lifetime. We shared everything! There were no secrets between us! And I am thankful every day that we share the most darling son! Thank you for giving him to me, Rex. My pregnancy was, as you put it, "beautiful!" And Valentine's Day was our first holiday together as a family! So it's always special!

I remember, too, the first Valentine's Day Rex and I shared. Rex sent me three dozen pink and red roses. We went out for a romantic dinner of filet mignon, baked potatoes, amd asparagus. When we arrived home, Rex lighted candles, put some Johnny Mathis on, and we cuddled on the sofa with a box of chocolate covered strawberries. Neither of us were great dancers, but we danced anyway, and I sang "Unforgettable" to Rex between kisses. It was so very romantic and everything any woman - or man - could ever wish for!

Christian and I love you Rex, and we always will.

Happy Valentine's Day, darling!

Love,

Camille

Christian Comes Home!

February 9, 2019

As I mentioned in my first remembrance of my life with Rex, our much loved son, Christian, was born approximately two months prematurely. His lungs were immature; however, they matured quickly in the hospital. He wasn't home long, though, until he seemed too sleepy and just generally apathetic, even for a tiny baby. 

So, I called Rex at work, and we took Christian to Children's Hospital. The radiologist there said he did not have pneumonia, but I told Rex I knew Christian was sick, and I wasn't taking him home until he was checked more thoroughly. So, we went down to the ER. 

While we were waiting our turn, I think Christian's breathing almost stopped. I'm still not sure. I just know Rex took him from me and gave him some sort of resuscitation, then took him into the ER. As soon as the doctor saw Christian, he grabbed him and took him into a room where a team of doctors and nurses began giving him oxygen and IVs. Rex and I followed them into the room, but we stayed back and let the doctors do their work. When we heard Christian cry, and the doctors cheer, we went out to the waiting room. When the doctor came out, the news wasn't good. Christian did have pneumonia (he'd no doubt caught it during his initial hospital stay), and he was going to have to be placed on a respirator. It could go either way. 

Rex and I went to the administrative section of the hospital, where we filled out papers, and Rex held my hand. I couldn't have gotten through that whole ordeal if Rex hadn't been there with me. I was worried sick about Christian, and I felt like I had failed him since Rex had mentioned casually, months earlier, that Ruth had given birth to his other five children within weeks of their due date. At home, Rex and I spent most of that night just sitting quietly together, holding hands or hugging each other, willing our tiny son to live. When we did sleep, we held each other tightly. 

Of course, we visited the hospital daily, but I was still surprised when, a few weeks later, the doctor called in mid-morning and told me he was releasing Christian. I called Rex (at work again!), and he drove me, and my mother, to Children's to pick up our little boy. When Christian was placed in my arms, the very first thing all three of us noticed was that he looked exactly like Rex! Exactly! I'm not sure how a two month old baby can look exactly like a forty-eight year old man, even though that man is his dad, but Christian did! And Rex and I loved that!

Love,

Camille

And Baby Makes Three!

February 5, 2019

From the day my pregnancy was confirmed, Rex and I were so excited! Rex said he was "due for a girl." I didn't really care whether we had a girl or a boy as long as the baby was healthy.

Rex was living in a apartment off of Livingston Avenue in Columbus then, and I was staying with him. As our baby - and my belly - grew, the baby became more and more active. It got so active that I wondered if it was, indeed, still in a completely intact amniotic sac! At times, I could feel a tiny hand or foot give me a push or kick and even see the outline!

Rex, too, was surprised at the baby's activity. Rex's estranged wife, who was in the process of obtaining a divorce, had given birth to five children, so Rex was no stranger to pregnant ladies. I remember one day, when we were just getting up, and I was sitting at the foot of the bed. Rex was standing to one side, and we were talking. (I have no idea about what.) The baby decided to roll over and give me one of its favorite karate moves. Rex, whose eyes were on my swollen belly and not my face, interrupted, with great delight and a huge smile on his face, and said, "I've never seen a baby move like that!"

As those who know us know, our little boy was born eight weeks early. When the hospital gave me drugs to stop the contractions, they worked...too well. The contractions did stop, but both the baby and I were suffering from a lack of oxygen. All of a sudden, it was important to get the baby out...now! After giving me supplemental oxygen and finally managing to rouse me, the doctor told me he wanted me to take a spinal. I was in so much pain (they were inducing labor now, with very strong contractions, to try to induce birth before the baby suffered complications) that I just told them to "give me the shot!" Which they did.

Rex held my hand during a perilous high forceps delivery, when both the baby and I could have been lost. But, luck was on our side. I pulled through fine, and though our son (yes, it was a boy!) was born with immature lungs, contracted pneumonia, and spent many weeks in the hospital, he did recover with no lasting effects. Rex was with me night and day as Christian Peter Rex Vian (our son) recovered in Children's Hospital. Neither one of us have ever felt that we can thank the doctors in the ER and on the sixth floor enough.

The day Rex drove us home, we both marveled at how healthy and fat Christian looked! (And he's remained healthy, but never fat!) When I looked down at his sweet little face, I could see he looked just like Rex! He still does today, many years later. What a happy day that was, for me, for Rex, and for our little boy.

I wish Rex were here so he could see the darling man Christian has become and how very much like Rex he is, in every way.

I love you, Rex. I always will. And I'm so happy to be the mother of your son!

Love,

Camille


Share a story

 
Add a document, picture, song, or video
Add an attachment Add a media attachment to your story
You can illustrate your story with a photo, video, song, or PDF document attachment.