May/June News – Not from Nicaragua
Hola Friends,
News this month isn’t the happiest. After my one month stay in the US mid-April to May 16th visiting my family and taking care of business, I returned to Managua with Christine Evanson, a dear friend. We were planning things to do on her vacation. Before we had a chance to leave Managua on May 17th, I received a call from my daughter, Rivka, stating that my sweet grandson, Cole , died in his sleep that morning. I got the last seat out of Nicaragua on TACA and left for LAX leaving Christine in the hands of my friend Ana Zavala in Managua.
Cole, as you may remember was my first grandson, the marine who had surgery for a brain tumor two years ago. See more about this at Rivka’s blog BentRivka.com. Cole was also the first person ever to come to Nicaragua with me. I am so grateful that we had this opportunity. Cole struggled everyday for normalcy in survival. He had moved into his own apartment with a friend in November but was becoming more frail, although he maintained as much independence as possible.
Cole’s memorial and Military Honor Burial at Miramar National Cemetery was on May 31st. There were probably 300+ people at the church in Mission Viejo and at least 200+ at the cemetery in Miramar and then to the reception at friend’s large home and yard in Del Mar Highlands—San Diego area. The crowds of friends were evidence of the love for Cole and his family. My son, Greg Wilker, made a great video for the memorial that truly represented who Cole was. You can watch it on http://www.YouTube—Cole Bent Memorial.
Although the sequencing definitely wasn’t planned, Brian, Rivka, and Esther were invited to France where Brian will be performing and showing his art at the annual Wheels and Waves event in Biaritz, France. Brian is one of three invited performers and everything has been paid for by the event. This will be a good diversion for the three Bents as it is hard with a missing person here. I will stay here with the dogs and house sit until they return. The Bents will be home for three days and then Rivka and Brian will be off to Japan for Brian’s showing of his United 50 line of surfing clothes, again a paid trip. I will leave for my home in Nicaragua when they leave for Japan.
Needless to say, I am grateful that I have the flexibility to be of service to my family. However, I miss my life in Nicaragua and will be happy to return on July 2nd. Since I will be missing the ISA Junior Surfing Tournament on the Rancho Santana beach in June, I’ll have to create some new excitement for myself. I’m sure that Ana Z and I will be able to find something to keep me occupied and financially solvent.
Remember to take good care of yourselves and your families.
Solo el amor prevalence.
Margie Fincham in Nicaragua 