HH_110917
The Homer Horizon 110917
The Homer Horizon 110917
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
homerhorizon.com SOUND OFF<br />
the Homer Horizon | November 9, 2017 | 13<br />
Social snapshot<br />
Top stories<br />
From HomerHorizon.com from Monday, Nov. 6<br />
From the Editor<br />
Responding the best we can to loss<br />
1. Homer Glen Junior Woman’s Club thanks<br />
troops on Make A Difference Day<br />
2. Cross Country: Porters boys, girls both race<br />
onward to state finals<br />
3. Silver Cross breaks ground on psychiatric<br />
hospital<br />
4. Porter Players prep for ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’<br />
production<br />
5. Families get into Halloween spirit during<br />
Community Trick-or-Treat Tailgate<br />
Become a Horizon Plus member: homerhorizon.com/plus<br />
Thomas Czaja<br />
tom@homerhorizon.com<br />
Just this past Friday, I<br />
needed to take a day of<br />
bereavement to mourn<br />
the loss of my uncle, who<br />
recently passed away from<br />
cancer.<br />
While attending the<br />
funeral — and the wake the<br />
evening before — it was<br />
touching to see the support<br />
that came for my uncle from<br />
his family, friends, coworkers<br />
and other acquaintances<br />
from over the years. It<br />
spoke loudly and clearly to<br />
the tremendous impact he<br />
had on so many.<br />
Each day was a great tribute<br />
to him, and the warmth<br />
in his personality and conversations<br />
and sense of humor<br />
will be sorely missed.<br />
When we lose someone, the<br />
grieving process inevitably<br />
takes time. That hole or void<br />
never really goes away, but<br />
we cherish the memories<br />
with that person and cling<br />
to our faith, support system<br />
and what we can.<br />
But besides simply just<br />
being sad or having our<br />
down moments over a love<br />
one’s passing, we eventually<br />
live on for them, hopefully<br />
greatly inspired by their example.<br />
Seeing the difference<br />
my uncle made has motivated<br />
me to do more, to try<br />
to be better, to keep aspiring<br />
to usher that positive change<br />
both for my loved ones and<br />
for strangers alike.<br />
Using such a blueprint,<br />
we can shine the light they<br />
once did for us and for others.<br />
Another example of this<br />
is Homer Glen resident Matt<br />
Jurjovec. His wife, Ashley,<br />
died from a rare heart disease<br />
last year.<br />
I cannot begin to fathom<br />
what that was like for him<br />
losing his wife when she<br />
was only 31. I cannot make<br />
sense of the unbearable<br />
grief that comes with such<br />
loss.<br />
But despite this extreme<br />
hardship, Jurjovec honors<br />
his late wife by continuing<br />
to help raise funds for<br />
research to one day better<br />
combat diseases like the<br />
one which took Ashley so<br />
prematurely. He has helped<br />
spearhead a fundraiser<br />
happening this upcoming<br />
Saturday, Nov. 11 for that<br />
very reason, and you can<br />
read more about their story<br />
on Page 6 of this issue.<br />
Amid all the hurt, this<br />
man forges ahead, dedicating<br />
much time and effort,<br />
and he continues to make a<br />
difference. How admirable<br />
is that?<br />
Yet, we won’t always<br />
be strong when we lose<br />
someone. We will need time<br />
to mourn. We will have bad<br />
days.<br />
But on the days we are<br />
able, we try our best to pick<br />
up the pieces. We don’t let<br />
death win; rather, we use<br />
the rest of our time to make<br />
our own positive contributions<br />
— like Jurjovec has<br />
done — to honor those who<br />
came and left this world<br />
before us.<br />
“A big thank you to the Homer Twp<br />
Oak Arbor of Gleaner Life Insurance<br />
Society for giving free pairs of these<br />
sweet sunglasses to our library’s<br />
teens!”<br />
Homer Township Public Library from<br />
Oct. 30.<br />
Like The Homer Horizon: facebook.com/homerhorizon<br />
“Here’s to everyone having a great day<br />
of chills, thrills, and fun!”<br />
@KenwoodLiquors1, Kenwood<br />
Homer Glen, from Oct. 31.<br />
Follow The Homer Horizon: @homerhorizon<br />
Sound Off Policy<br />
Editorials and columns are the<br />
opinions of the author. Pieces<br />
from 22nd Century Media are<br />
the thoughts of the company<br />
as a whole. The Homer Horizon<br />
encourages readers to write letters<br />
to Sound Off. All letters must be<br />
signed, and names and hometowns<br />
will be published. We also ask that<br />
writers include their address and<br />
phone number for verification,<br />
not publication. Letters should be<br />
limited to 400 words. The Homer<br />
Horizon reserves the right to edit<br />
letters. Letters become property of<br />
The Homer Horizon. Letters that<br />
are published do not reflect the<br />
thoughts and views of The Homer<br />
Horizon. Letters can be mailed<br />
to: The Homer Horizon, 11516<br />
West 183rd Street, Unit SW<br />
Office Condo #3, Orland Park,<br />
Illinois, 60467. Fax letters to (708)<br />
326-9179 or e-mail to tom@<br />
homerhorizon.com.<br />
www.homerhorizon.com.
Change language