Because you loved me.

Excerpt from "What Remains" by Carole Radziwill  A friendship
John Kennedy and Anthony Radziwill are cousins, close cousins, like brothers.  This is about one of the last vists John has with Tony.

"Tonypro" he says quietly and grabs Anthony's hand.  John's shoes are black and shiny.  His bow tie is undone.  His tuxedo looks comical in the yellow lights of the ICU.
He begins humming, and then there are words.  We can barely hear him, but Anthony does, and he smiles.  His eyes are stll closed, but they seem more relaxed when he smiles, and then his mouth starts to move along with John's.

If you go down to the woods today,
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today,
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today' the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

They sing together softly, this children's song, with their hands clasped like little boys.  They sing it over and over, John holding tightly on to Anthony's hand.  They are in a place that no one else has ever been or could ever go, singing a song that John's mother used to sing to the two of them.  The boys who laughed and played and sang silly songs are all grown up now--John in a tuxedo, Anthony in a hospital gown.
The doctors think Anthony will die tonight, and John takes him to the safest place he knows.

John Kennedy dies in a airplane crash three weeks before his cousin Anthony.

My cousin Nancy died two days ago.
I sang her two songs my grandmother used to sing to us.  It was myD honor.
She could hear me, but could not sing along with me.
She was surrounded with loved one.
Her wonderful daughter and grandson.
His brother and wife Tina, who has been a god send.
Her niece Dina.
And me.  

I will always miss her.  I thank God she was in my life.