The most important people in my life are, without a doubt, my family. They are more than just relatives...they are my best friends, the only ones who have been there throughout EVERY up and down of my life. I've learned a great deal from all of them...patience and unconditional love from my mother, real-world sense AND an unspoken devotion to family from my father, and determination and the ability to achieve in ANY situation from my sister. I am who I am because of them!

In the above photograph, you'll find my Dad, my Mom, my Sister Keri, and myself, waiting for an OUTSTANDING show at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. People say my Mom and I look alike. People also have started to say that my Sister and I also look alike. Somehow, I don't see it (I mean, neither of them have a goatee!). Maybe when I was younger, sure... ;) While we may have inherited some of the look from Mom, we definitely have traits from BOTH parents in our blood.

Thankfully, they feel the same way as I do. It's been some time (though it feels like yesterday) since we were hit with one of the most difficult experiences we have ever had to face. My father was diagnosed with cancer on New Year's Eve 1997, and after struggling with the disease, as well as a cancer-related stroke, he lost his battle and passed away on February 22, 1998. He was a STRONG man, and already had overcome insurmountable odds, as well as a slew of doctors and nurses who were ready to write him off. He may not have beaten cancer, but he fought it with every breath in his body. I love and miss my father, and pray for him every day. I know he hears me.

If you want to see more pictures of my father, as well as a song I wrote for him, you can find more on the Dad and Song links.

These two photographs feature Elizabeth Fray, also known as Nanny, my grandmother, and the woman who helped raise me after I was born. While my father was in the Navy and on duty, my sister, mother, and I lived with Nanny and Pop Pop (my grandfather) in New York. She did an amazing job raising her children, including my Mom, and those family values were passed down to me. Sadly, a tragedy struck my family on March 6, 1996, when my grandmother also passed away after her own struggle with cancer. One thing I can thank God for is that neither she, nor my father, suffered long, and in a sense that spared my family a great deal of grief and torment. Still, I miss her with all of my heart.

The second photo is from my high school graduation party. Nanny had come down from New York with my aunt and uncle, and celebrated along with the rest of my family. She used to come down a lot, in fact, often once a year, to stay with us. I spent one New Years Eve with her and my then-girlfriend, sitting around, drinking and toasting to our health. What a fun, loving woman. Go Nanny! =)

On a side note, I have to say...I hate cancer with every breath in my body. Not only has it taken my father and grandmother, it has also taken friends and other family members over the years. Illness is never an easy thing, and sudden changes are also difficult to manage. I missed out on years of experiences with my grandfather, although I remember fondly the times we spent in his easy chair, reading the paper. In 2009, my uncle Bill passed away suddenly, and the loss has been difficult to adjust to. The greatest thing I have is my family. They help me, and I help them, to make it through.

This picture was taken at my cousin's wedding in New York in 1999. It was the first picture of the three of us taken in a while, so I decided I had to put it up here. While it's not the most flattering photo of me, it's great because my Mom is wearing the Nanny hat, reminiscent of what my grandmother used to wear when she'd get off the plane during a visit to SC.

These two photographs are of Mono, my other grandmother (my father's mother). She was spry and full of life well into her 90s! Growing up, I remember speaking with her during the holidays, and always wondering...since we lived so far away, it was difficult to ever get to see her. In fact, I think the last time I did see her was when I was a baby, and although I have a lot of memories of my childhood (even back to about a year-old), I don't remember meeting her. Thankfully, I had a chance to speak with her a lot while my dad was sick, and I realized how much I have missed out on over the past decades. She's beautiful, and as my sister noted, you can see my father in her face. Sadly, she passed away before Mothers' Day 2003, but I know she's in a better place with her husband, my father, and so many others in our family.

These are some other members of my family! Please say hello to Ski's Royal Kaiser, my little brother (on the right), and Ski's Royal Satin N Lace, my little sister (on the left, looking cute)! Kaiser is...well, he's an absolute pain sometimes. According to my mom, I taught him how to aggressively, but playfully, attack people. It's not MY fault. He's a Miniature Schnauzer, and getting over being a puppy wasn't easy. It's his job, isn't it? Thankfully, he doesn't do it that often anymore, but he will bring you every toy he owns until you play with him. Insistent little bugger, isn't he? Lacey is another Miniature Schnauzer, and finally developed an attitude to match Kaiser's...basically, she didn't take crap from him anymore. They were a good couple, though. Don't they look so cute together?

Unfortunately, Lacey passed away suddenly in 2005 after a quick bout with CANCER. And we lost Kaiser due to the same thing in March of 2009. I freaking hate cancer.

I just think this is the cutest picture!

And this is Buckwheat, my nephew (my sister's Chinese Pug), who passed on in 2005 after living a healthy, long life. No cancer this time...thank God!

This is Baby, our wonderful pet from 1985 until October of 1997. Sadly, Baby developed some serious health problems (more of that DAMN cancer, I believe) and quickly went downhill. When my family lost her, it was very difficult, especially for me, since I was so far away from everyone. Kasier and Lacey were our grief-relief, but she was never forgotten.

We now have two new pups...Astra, a Rat Terrier, and Dixie, a Basset Hound. I'll have pics of them up soon, but in the meantime, you can check them out on my Facebook and MySpace pages!

I also have an older brother (J.R.) and sister (Karen) from my Dad's first marriage. I found out about them when I was about 10 years old, and I think I accepted the news fairly well. Both of them live far away, though, so I don't get to see them. However, hopefully YOU will get to see them soon, when they send me some pictures to put up on my page! ;)

And, of course, there's John, my best friend of almost 30 years. There are photos of him on some other pages, if you want to check them out. He's like family to me, like a brother, and we've been through more together than most people could ever realize. Mom and Keri consider him a part of the family, as well, so it's perfect. We'll never lose touch.

This is my family. While we have been struck with one tragedy after another over the past few years, we're strong, and will make it through them all. There have been SO many wonderful times, the bad ones can never control how we feel!