Many years ago I wrote an email to my 14 brothers and sisters telling them what i would say at their funeral. I had done the same thing to my parents BEFORE they died and to my high school coach too. So I thought I would recreate it here.
Lourdes (the nun) - I will always remember Lourdes as the nun who lived in Peru. She earned her PhD and that was always an inspiration. When ever she visited us in Tampa, she would raise 3 or 4,000 dollars for the poor people of her town. Unfortunately the socialist govt. kicked the nuns our of Peru and she landed in New Orleans.
There are two stories that stick out in my mind. One was when my parents visited Lima, Peru and then some sisters and nieces also visited. Lourdes wrote me and asked me if I also wanted to visit Peru. I said yes, but i did not have the money for a plane ticket. Lourdes suggested i take a BUS !!! (let me see i would have to take a bus from Fla to Texas, then down Mexico and over the Panama Canal and into South America...it would probably take me about 2 or 3 years...lol)
The second story was when she went out the window onto the roof of the greenhouse to retrieve a toothbrush that had fallen out the window. She fell right through the roof but did not break any bones. The called her the "flying nun" after that (a famous TV show of the 1960's).
When she was young one of the brothers and sisters punctured the ear drum of someone by accident. The doctor said it would never heal and permanent damage to that ear. Lourdes poured holy water from Lourdes, Europe and the ear drum miraculous healed.
George (the principal and father of 3) - George was the second oldest and after him followed 6 girls in a row. So our family was 1 boy and 7 girls. That must have been hard and yet an honor to be the oldest brother in the Cuban culture. He was very successful at Belen and developed into an very good tennis player. He went to cemenary to become a priest but did not have the calling. He was not in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs and i think he always felt a little left out since his three sisters and Dad were put in prison.
George was in education and earned his MAsters degree in Education. The first thing i remember about George was when he was principal of an all girls school in Va. called Foxtrot (or something like that). He was the King of this place, with a house and go cart for his two boys and an electric ball machine for tennis.
Later he moved to Miami and the public school system where he rose to supervisor of three elementary schools. He was the first one in our family to get divorce and remarry. His second marriage produced a third son who became a very good tennis player.
I will always remember George as the bothers who was 20 yrs older than me. Who was in my field of interest education. Who road a motorcycle and was the first of the brothers to suffer from the aches and pains of too much sports including the athletic heart.
One story that sticks out in my mind was when he lived in south miami in a subdivision and they had tennis courts. It was suppose to be opened at 8 am but there was a LOCK on gate. George waited until 8:30 and then went home and got some wire cutters. When the developer of the subdivision showed up at 9 am and inquired about the cut lock, George said it was him. The developer said George would have to pay for the lock. George said BILL ME !! and send the Bill to 123 Fidel St, Havana, Cuba...lol (needless to say, George keeps Xavier's law practice busy).
George was one of the last principals to paddle students with the parents permission of course.
One of his proudest moments was when he was allowed to use Xavier's pass and ride on a Nuclear Sub...he actually got behind the wheel and drove the dam thing.
He was also FRONT and center for Francis Xavier (X's son) swearing in as Miami City Commissioner. He is very proud of ALL his 14 brothers and sisters.
Teresa (the homemaker with 10 children)
Teresa was the first one to get married and began having many babies. Her family have produced many musicians, one even signed with Sony.
Since she lived in the DC area and i used to babysit her kids, i have many stories of the Bernado's. My favorite is the time the two older ones Luie and Georgie were in a town parade (Vienna, Va) and i had the other 4 with me (this is when there were only 6 Bernardo's). We clapped and yelled as we saw the two older brothers proudly march by and then i realized i had to be at the finish line to pick them up (they were 10 and 9 at the time). But the Bernardo kids were so grown up, they ran down the street and found me. I guess being 6'6" and with a baby on my shoulder, i was easy to spot. But i had never been so scared to have lost another person's child before.
Another funny story many years later was when we went to a Pizza Hut after a baseball game that involve the 3 boys out of the bottom 4 children (by the way the last was Cristina and they saved the BEST for last....what a doll and what a ball player). Anyways when we walked into the Pizza Hut with 10 kids...the people busily put several tables together and started bringing out pitchers of different soft drinks. No one order and several minutes later, out came about 4 or 5 pizza's. I guess the Bernardo's have been at this Pizza Hut a few times....lol
We look forward to every family wedding or reunion to hear the Bernardo's play their guitars...and of course the older brothers (and Cristina) play a little ball.
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