Spring Break
'Choose life' full of faith and joy
Eulogy for John Williamson, Jr. delivered Feb. 1 by John Williamson, Sr.
John Williamson, Sr.
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: Ed-Op
Our job as parents is to get our kids into heaven. So I think I can say, mission accomplished.
But there is more. Yesterday I was feeling particularly low. I was told that one of the other boys in the car is now coming back to the Church. Johnny had made this request to him many times before. Suddenly a great weight was lifted off my shoulders.
If you look on Facebook, Johnny wrote on Jan. 22, "A person is a person no matter how small. I wish I could be in DC but instead can just hope the innocents will be spared." The next day, he wrote his final Facebook entry. It was "Choose Life." Thirty-six hours later, he passed away. The coroner gave me his affects, his wallet, a broken cell phone and this wristband, which was given to him at Cardinal O'Hara High School six years ago which says "O'Hara respects all life." It has ten-week-old baby feet on the bracelet.
If you knew Johnny, you knew he absolutely loved children. He was constantly playing with all the neighbors' children, as well as cousins. He was planning to be a pediatric nurse. He played Santa Claus on December 24th for his cousins.
I think I know why God took him before his 22nd birthday. In heaven, Jesus needed a recreation director for the 50 million surgically aborted children, and two fellows, Fat Harold and Pop-Pop Jack, told Jesus we have just the right guy. That Sunday, Jesus called him home.
People have been asking what they can do for us. I'll tell you what you can do. You can become active in the Newman Center and you can start a Pro-Life Club at Drexel University. Johnny would be happy to donate any start up costs as he no longer needs the $10,000 that he saved up for nursing school.
We had Johnny for over 22 wonderful years, for it was on my wife's 30th birthday, June 23, 1986, that she told me she had a birthday present for me. She told me she was pregnant with Johnny.
We can't complain to God that he passed away. We thank Jesus that Johnny came our way.
If I may quote from Lou Gehrig, I will tell you, "We are the luckiest family on the face of the earth."
But there is more. Yesterday I was feeling particularly low. I was told that one of the other boys in the car is now coming back to the Church. Johnny had made this request to him many times before. Suddenly a great weight was lifted off my shoulders.
If you look on Facebook, Johnny wrote on Jan. 22, "A person is a person no matter how small. I wish I could be in DC but instead can just hope the innocents will be spared." The next day, he wrote his final Facebook entry. It was "Choose Life." Thirty-six hours later, he passed away. The coroner gave me his affects, his wallet, a broken cell phone and this wristband, which was given to him at Cardinal O'Hara High School six years ago which says "O'Hara respects all life." It has ten-week-old baby feet on the bracelet.
If you knew Johnny, you knew he absolutely loved children. He was constantly playing with all the neighbors' children, as well as cousins. He was planning to be a pediatric nurse. He played Santa Claus on December 24th for his cousins.
I think I know why God took him before his 22nd birthday. In heaven, Jesus needed a recreation director for the 50 million surgically aborted children, and two fellows, Fat Harold and Pop-Pop Jack, told Jesus we have just the right guy. That Sunday, Jesus called him home.
People have been asking what they can do for us. I'll tell you what you can do. You can become active in the Newman Center and you can start a Pro-Life Club at Drexel University. Johnny would be happy to donate any start up costs as he no longer needs the $10,000 that he saved up for nursing school.
We had Johnny for over 22 wonderful years, for it was on my wife's 30th birthday, June 23, 1986, that she told me she had a birthday present for me. She told me she was pregnant with Johnny.
We can't complain to God that he passed away. We thank Jesus that Johnny came our way.
If I may quote from Lou Gehrig, I will tell you, "We are the luckiest family on the face of the earth."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Donna Marie Williamson
posted 2/06/09 @ 5:56 PM EST
Dear Editor and Staff of The Triangle:
I have no words but thank you for honoring my Johnny. Sincerely,
Donna Marie Williamson, Drexel '84 and Johnny's mom. (Continued…)
Jared Lucchesi
posted 2/09/09 @ 11:54 AM EST
Johnny...thank-you.
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