Beatrice Sheftel
beawrites24@aol.com
Contact me if you'd like to share stories about Bill
United States
This poem was written when Bill lived in Brooklyn, and Rob in Connecticut. It was published in my first poetry book Beauty in the Weeds.The name Brother-Cousins came from my father, Salvatore Tortorici.
(c)copyright Bea Sheftel
Billy and Robbie are cousins, two states apart
Papa calls them brother-cousins who don't debate
or hesitate to be together when they can
for papa says these cousins share one heart.
_________________________________________________
The ones we love
Are never really gone.
In spirit and in memory
Their legacy lives on.
Ginny
IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND
It only takes a second to say Good Morning,
It only takes a second to say Have a nice day,
It only takes a second to say How do you feel,
It only takes a second to say I'm sorry,
It only takes a second to say I love you,
And it only takes a second to say Thank you.
In our busy life we sometimes forget the important things.
We make such little time for our families and friends.
We forget who are real friends are, the ones that are there
just because they want to. The ones that ask very little
of you, the ones that you can count on.
Since my son's on timely death I have found that so many of
my true friends are the people I work with. They are the people
that care and support me. They are the people I can count on.
They feel my pain and have helped me is so many ways.
I want to thank each and every one of you that has been there
for me. The words are not enough to show my gratitude.
I will remember all of you for the support and love I have
felt in this hard time.
God has taken my love, my son, and has given me friendship
I didn't know I had.
Lillian remembers Bill
I REMEMBER BILLY AS A LITTLE BOY.
WE LIVED DOWN THE STREET. SOMETIMES WHEN I WAS WALKING MY KIDS TO
SCHOOL IN THE MORNING,
BILLY AND GINA WOULD BE WALKING IN FRONT OF US.
USUALLY THEY WERE HUGGING EACH OTHER, BUT SOMETIMES THEY WERE
FIGHTING.
EITHER WAY, MY KIDS WERE ALWAYS LAUGHING!
LAURA, MY DAUGHTER, WAS GINA'S AGE AND BOBBY,
MY SON,WAS A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN BILLY.
BILLY WAS ALWAYS MAD BECAUSE BOBBY WAS SO MUCH BIGGER THEN HE WAS
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS YOUNGER, UNTIL ONE SUMMER BILLY JUST SHOT UP,
AND =WAS TALLER THAN BOBBY. I THINK IT WAS HIS BEST SUMMER.
THEN THE NEXT SUMMER BOBBY, WAS TALLER AGAIN.
THEY WERE ALWAY CLOSE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD SEPERATE FRIENDS
WHEN THEY GREW UP.
IT WAS VERY HARD FOR LAURA AND BOBBY TO DEAL WITH THE FACT
THAT HE WAS GONE. IT WAS LIKE LOOSING A BROTHER.
BILLY WAS ALWAY VERY GOOD TO ME. VERY HELPFUL AND VERY GENEROUS
WITH HIS TIME. ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP IN ANY WAY HE COULD.
HE WAS ALWAY VERY POLITE EVEN AS A LITTLE BOY.
WE WILL ALL MISS HIM VERY MUCH AND KNOW THAT HE IS IN A BETTER PLACE
LOOKING DOWN AND LAUGHING AT US THINKING
" IF ONLY THEY KNEW, THEY WOULDN'T BE SO SAD FOR ME."
LILLIAN
__________________________________________________
A POEM PRAYER FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD
I'll lend you for a little while a child of mine, God said,
For you to love HIM while he lives, and mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years, or forty-two or thirty-three;
But will you, till I call him back, take good care of him for me?
he'll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
You'll have the lovely memories as a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return;
But there are lessons taught below I want this child to learn.
I've searched the whole world over, for teachers kind and true;
And from the throngs that crowd life's lane I have chosen you...
Now will you give him all your love? Nor think the labor pain?
Nor hate me should the angels call, to take this child back again?
To which the mother did reply...
Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joys thy child will bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may...
for all the love this child will bring,
forever grateful we will stay.
But should the Angels call for him,
much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
and try to understand.
_____________________________________
by Bea Sheftel
Birth is a beginning
and death a destination
THE JOURNEY is on
the sea of life from
childhood on to whatever
age we are called home
guided by the beacon of
God's love to the lighthouse
in the sky.
We see that victory lies not
at some high point along the way
but in having made the journey
step by step
a sacred pilgrimage.
Birth is a beginning
and death a destination
And the journey is sacred
to the safe harbor of Life Everlasting
More Memorial Photos, Stories, Poems, Songs
- Bill's Wake (The Eagle Flowers)
- As Eagles Soared. A Memorial to Bill in flowers
- You'll Always Be My Lobster
- Mary's Web Site Memorial to Bill (Sentimental)
- Bravenet Guest Book at Mary's Memorial Site
- Friends and family memorial messages
I'm Bill's Aunt Bea. I put this page together for all of us who loved him. He gave so much of himself to us we should never forget him.
GOD TOOK MY HAND
a POEM dedicated to the memory of Bill Radeska
Aunt Bea Sheftel
Last night while I was trying to sleep,
Bill's voice I did hear
I opened my eyes and looked around,
But he did not appear.
He said:"You've got to listen,
You've got to understand
God didn't take me from my family,
He only took my hand.
When I called out in pain that night,
The instant that I died,
He reached down and took my hand,
And pulled me to His side.
He pulled me up and saved me
From the misery and pain.
My leg was hurt so badly inside,
I could never be the same.
My search is really over now,
I've found happiness within,
All the answers to my empty dreams
And all that might have been.
I love you all and miss you so,
And I'll always be nearby.
My body's gone forever,
But my spirit will never die!
And so, you must all go on now,
Live one day at a time.
Just understand-
God did not take me from my family,
He only took my hand.
There will always be an empty spot in my heart for my nephew Bill
Many times I thought of him more like a second son than a nephew
My son, Rob Sheftel and my nephew Bill Radeska
This was the original information I included when Bill moved to Connecticut from Brooklyn, NY.
Photos of Bill's nieces and nephew are at the bottom of this page.
Papa called Rob and Bill brother-cousins because they are so close.
They are a big part of why I'm writing my memoirs.
My book is a family history filled with lifestories I hoped Rob and Bill and their future children would read to their children.
When Rob and Bill were just kids I used to write the Adventures of Rob and Billy. Somehow in our moves from one home to another I misplaced those stories but I intend to either find them or rewrite them.
After Bill moved to Connecticut to be close to his brother-cousin, my son, Rob, I wrote this line: Papa and Nana must be rejoicing in heaven!
That line is now so poignant.
Nana and Papa rejoicing in heaven? I think they are because they adored Bill and now he is with them. Especially Nana. When she was sick he used to "Nana sit". Maybe Bill is teaching them the card game he taught me at my husband's retirement party.
Bill (William Michael Radeska)died in his sleep on May 10, 2003. It was a shock to all of us. We couldn't believe our beloved Bill was gone just when life was starting to be so wonderful for him.
The EMTs came but could not revive Bill.
I have to wonder why God took Bill so young but then God's ways are not ours. There is little comfort when someone so young dies, especially someone as wonderful Bill.
This page will contain anecdotes and memories of my nephew Bill. I invite his friends and family to contribute photos and stories. I'll upgrade as often as necessary.
I always used to say to Bill, "YOU ARE MY FAVORITE NEPHEW." He'd reply: "Aunt Bea, I'm your only nephew!" I'd counter: "If I had a million nephews you'd still be my favorite." On the flowers I sent to the wake the card read, "One in a million."
He will always have a special place in my heart until I meet him again in Heaven.
I loved him more than words can say.
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My sister and I, well everyone in the family knew that Bill would help us if we needed it. He didn't have to say anything. He fixed some electric problems for me and was going to do some more before he died. He had the attitude if he could help you he would. We had no idea how many people he helped in his short life.
At the wake hundreds of people in their twenties and thirties came to pay tribute to Bill. Almost everyone had a story to tell of something he did to help them. Bill was the kind of guy who became your friend almost immediately. He looked tough on the outside but inside he was soft hearted. His friends loved him so much it was amazing and wonderful.
Bill was smart in a way that has nothing to do with school-education. He had a true entreprenurial spirit. It was that ability that let him manage his brother-in-law's heavy metal band. He also was filled with ideas for people to make money from a catering business he suggested, to a recycling business.
What does the Bible say about people like Bill? To paraphrase: When I was hungry you gave me food. When I was cold you gave me a coat. When I was homeless you gave me a home. That and more is what Bill did. His friends knew they could count on him no matter what and he never failed them or us.
For those who don't know, the last six years of Bill's life were filled with pain from the accident when he fell off the back of the garbage truck he was working on. He had been through something like 14 operations and many promises that each operation would make his leg better, and end the pain. The pain didn't go away. The pain meds made him groggy so he stopped taking them. He wanted to enjoy his life not live it in a perpetual fog.
Despite his physical problems he did enjoy life and lived it his way. He went to Atlantic City, and Las Vegas. He went on a cruise and other vacations. He put a lot of life into his 32 years, maybe more than people who live twice as long.
We will all miss Bill for the rest of our lives. There will always be a hole in our hearts which only he could fill. Yet hearing of all he did with his life lightened the sorrow. Bill was a unique man, a wonderful nephew, and a good friend. That is a great legacy. The people who loved him loved him completely. That's the kind of relationship he had because he wasn't a taker, but a giver.
The world was a better place because William Michael Radeska lived in it for 32 years.I just wish we had more time with him, my darling nephew Bill.
Bill's nephew Michael(Gina and Teddy's son) Bill adored his nieces and nephew.
It was his wish they move to Connecticut and get out of the city. Tiffany and Kimberly. Bill's two nieces.
