James "Jimmy" Baily

Jimmy Baily was my dad's cousin. But he meant much more to so many people.

To do him justice, I want to capture what his students, colleagues, friends and family had to say about him at his wake. His son spoke on his behalf, briefly, he said that while Jimmy was not his father, he always called him Dad. And kindly invited people to their house following the service. Shortly after, a beautiful young woman with dark curly hair captured the attention of the room. She worked with Jimmy, part of his work family. She told us how kind Jimmy was, how he was the man you went to when you had a problem. Jimmy had the stregnth to support his coworkers, and the patience to guide his students.

Four young men came to the front of the room. They had similar stickers on their chests, a picture of Jimmy. The leader got up in front of everyone because, "B would have said get up there and talk about me son." And we laughed. He then told us how he wouldn't be the man he is today if it weren't for B. "Where I'm from, we don't have male role models," he said quietly. B was the male role model for his students. He exemplified how men should act. To be that sort of inspiration in someone's life is nothing short of amazing. He was an inspiration for these boys, and the women in his classes.

There were others who gave the audience greater detail as to who Jimmy was to them. But just as special were the people who didn't speak to everyone. Perhaps because they were overwhelmed with grief. My father was one such person. We shared in a lot of memories with my father because we were there for it, but he shed a little light on the times we weren't there. Like when my Dad was 19 and Jimmy got him his first job. It may have been at a car wash, but it was the first kindness of many that my Dad recollected.

It really pains me to write that he is gone now. That the esophogeal cancer that was discovered just months ago consumed his body. But I try to focus on the fact that he'll never really be gone. He'll live on in my memory as my Dad's best friend. Someone who always made my sister and I laugh. And he'll be in the hearts of so many as a friend, and leader. Someone who taught them to be a man. Someone who gave them the best advice they ever got.