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In Memoriam


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We have received the sad news that another of our birthfathers has passed away at the age of 40, in Fishtown, PA.

Robert Camac was the birthfather of twin girls who were placed for adoption with an Abrazo family in 1995. He and the twins' mother, Kristy, struggled for five months to parent the children, but came to believe they needed a more stable home and a more secure future. Although no longer a couple at the time, they worked together to plan a loving, open adoption for their daughters, and had stayed in touch with the adoptive family ever since. He was very proud of the girls, one of whom looks just like him and the other who looks just like her birthmom.

Robert was the life of the party; he lived life in the fast lanes and died accidentally. He is survived by his wife and son; his birthdaughters, Autumn and April and their adoptive parents; four sisters; and a stepdaughter.

May his children always know how much he loved them and may those he leaves behind find comfort in the certainty that he has been reunited with his parents now and rests in peace.

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It saddens me to hear of Robert's untimely death. His loving family is in my prayers. May he rest in peace.

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  • 6 months later...

I just received the sad news that one of our former birthmoms was killed last week.

Audry had placed a baby girl through Abrazo six years ago. At the time she was a single mom, struggling to care for the two-year-old daughter she already had, with too few resources and no reliable income. She lovingly entrusted her newborn to a childless Midwestern couple in our program, making parents of them. They'd kept in touch in the years since that adoption, so she celebrated with them when they later adopted a second child. Open adoption was still a choice she felt good about, as evidenced by a letter she'd sent here not so very long ago...

Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for the letter and the pictures! It's nice to know that the people at Abrazo still care. Kent & Becky are everything I'd hoped they would be. Every time I get a picture of Reagan, I can see what a great job they are doing raising her. I know I made the right choice.

I also know there are alot of other people under the stress of an unplanned pregnancy. I would hate for them to think that abortion or just trying to cope are their only two options. Every child deserves to have a life filled with love and happiness! I have always believed that adoption is a loving choice. If you would send me some of the agency business cards I would love to hand them out. Hopefully others will see that adoption is an option. There are so many wonderful people out there like Kent & Becky who can't have children of their own. I guess for them it is a miracle to have the chance to be parents.

I want to thank everyone at Abrazo for being there for me throughout my pregnancy. It was a very confusing and scary time for me and you were all so nice.

Happy Holidays,

Audry Jones

Last Wednesday, Audry was found dead of a gunshot wound, at the home of her boyfriend. An investigation is pending. Audry was just 29 years old.

She is survived by her parents, one brother, two daughters, and her daughter's adoptive parents. She was preceded in death by one infant daughter.

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that is so sad, and so tragic....her life was cut so short :(

what a sweet, positive letter she wrote and how touching for her child's parents to hear those words from her - I just get chills when I read it and know that she had no idea how that one letter would possibly be the last communication her child had from her - but how fortunate to have that.

thank you for sharing her legacy with us and what a difficult phone call you guys must have had to make today.

so many tragedies this holiday season...

keeping the loved ones of all these special Abrazo folks in my thoughts and prayers.

Lisa

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Once again reminded of the frailty of life. How sad for this wonderful lady and those who loved her.

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Praying for all of the loved ones Audry left behind. May she rest in peace.

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Heartbreaking. What a blessing to have that touching letter. A true blessing for Audrey's daughter and her parents. Prayers going up for Audrey and those who loved her so much.

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May prayers fill in the gaps today, and may love fill the wounded hearts of all that will miss her!

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  • 5 months later...

According to news accounts, he was just another "Homeless Man Found Murdered", in a story that's sure to be yesterday's news by tomorrow.

But not to us.

And not to a little girl from Minnesota and her family, who cared about him deeply.

Eduardo was her birthfather, and as such, he helped make a miracle happen, for her and for them. He and his then-girlfriend became part of the Abrazo family in 2006, when a hospital social worker saw the homeless couple in labor & delivery and knew they needed help finding a safe and loving home for their baby girl.

Eduardo was a caring man, with a gentle spirit and beautiful eyes. We so wanted to help get both him and his girlfriend in a more secure environment, so we moved them from the hospital into our agency housing. They couldn't get over how "clean" it was; to them, it seemed luxurious, even. Too much so; within days, they asked us to move them to a transient motel, closer to the shelter where they occasionally received mail, and to the streets they'd come to know as "home." We bought them warm winter parkas, to shield them from the cold; within days, those, too, were gone... traded for food, we're guessing.

They clearly loved the tiny girl baby they placed in our care, and they knew just as clearly they could not care for her. They had big dreams for her future. They chose for her to grow up in the safety of the Midwest, far from the dangers of the underpasses where they sometimes had to sleep. On occasion, we would see Eduardo at busy intersections, panhandling. Not because he was lazy-- but because he never quite saw the point of earning more money than he needed to get by each day. And because, God bless him, he just didn't have what it took to live any other way.

Tonight, we'll be there at the visitation, to pay tribute to a fallen friend, whose life was far too hard and way too short. We don't know whether he'll have any family there, or tomorrow at the funeral-- other than the little girl he placed and the parents who adore her, who just happen to be flying in to town for Camp Abrazo. They would've welcomed any opportunity to see him again, under other circumstances, as would we. Our heartfelt sympathies to them, and to the parents who brought Eduardo into world and surely loved him, also.

Rest in peace, dear Eduardo, where the streets are paved with gold, and where you need never be hungry or thirsty or cold, again.

We remember you with love and celebrate the memory of your thirty-three years among us.

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Eduardo will never be forgotten. I pray that he rests in peace.

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According to news accounts, he was just another "Homeless Man Found Murdered", in a story that's sure to be yesterday's news by tomorrow.

But not to us.

And not to a little girl from Minnesota and her family, who cared about him deeply.

They clearly loved the tiny girl baby they placed in our care, and they knew just as clearly they could not care for her. They had big dreams for her future. They chose for her to grow up in the safety of the Midwest, far from the dangers of the underpasses where they sometimes had to sleep. On occasion, we would see Eduardo at busy intersections, panhandling. Not because he was lazy-- but because he never quite saw the point of earning more money than he needed to get by each day. And because, God bless him, he just didn't have what it took to live any other way.

Rest in peace, dear Eduardo, where the streets are paved with gold, and where you need never be hungry or thirsty or cold, again.

We remember you with love and celebrate the memory of your thirty-three years among us.

May Eduardos little girl always know how much he loved her. Our prayers are with both families.

Rest in peace Eduardo

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Dear Eduardo will be remembered. I'm so sorry to hear of this loss. Prayers for his eternal peace and for the family who loves him so. He was here on earth for such a short time but his lasting impact will live on...............................

Thank you to the Abrazo family who can go to pay respects. A loving gesture to be sure.

Edited by Don&Andrea
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How sad and tragic. Eduardo obviously was not a bad person as many people often assume homeless people are. He is an example of how caring these individuals really are. He cared enough to want a better life for his daughter. I do hope there are people out there who will show him respect and say good-bye to him :(

Thank you for sharing this tragic story with us so we can all remember Eduardo and know he was not just a homeless man :)

Cathy

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I just went back and read the story. I am really bothered by this. I really hope they find out what happened to Eduardo and that justice will be served. There is a homeless guy, Danny, who hangs around campus and frequently near my studio. One of his buddies that is sometimes with him told us that Danny had been beaten so badly he is now in a coma and practically brain dead. The officers in our neighborhood confirmed this. Danny is diabetic and sometimes appears out of it because his blood sugar is so low. We give him ice water on hot days and hot tea when it's cold and new socks in the winter. He's had a rough time of it but he's a decent man. He always asks says hi and asks how I am and about Clara and tells me "God bless you and that baby girl too!" when I walk by. I've seen people (college frat guys) ask him to do tricks for money and be crude to him. I always chastize them and tell them to leave him alone. They don't know that he is allergic to peanut butter or that he has a sister who lives in Florida, nor do they care. Not even the slightest for another human being, a brother in the eyes of God. I think no one will ever know what happened to Danny and who did this to him.

Eduardo, I wish you peace in the everlasting.

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