Joseph P. McKenna
March 4, 1987 ~ December 31, 2020
The physical mass will be private, however if you would like to watch the Funeral Mass via YouTube, please go to http://stpatricksmithtown.org/
once on the Church’s website, click “watch on YouTube”. The link for the mass will be available just before Mass starts.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to https://www.classy.org/give/75654/#!/donation/checkout
Joseph’s services are being held privately for family only.
Hi I am so sorry Linda and peter of joseph passing. Your and the whole family are in my prayers.
Our hearts break for you Pete, Linda, Chris, Michael and families. We are so sorry to hear of Joe’s passing. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Such a great person. Was just speaking with someone from Smithtown high saying if Joe ever showed up at a gathering or party, it was always a treat whenever he was around. Warm, friendly and a very fun guy. My prayers for the McKenna family and all those Joe has touched throughout his life.
So sorry to hear of Joseph’s passing. So young. We will keep Joseph in our prays. May God watch over him.
My heart is broken. Joey was like another little brother to me growing up. My brother Rob and him have been friends for 20+ years and there are so many good memories that I have of him! He was a wonderful kid, so smart, so happy, so loving. This world was a better place with him in it. He truly will be missed by many! My thoughts and prayers go out to all his family and friends. We truly all lost a good soul! May he Rest In Peace. Xo
I’m so heartbroken to hear this and all the prayers in the world to the McKenna family. Joe was my best guy friend in 12th grade and the nicest and most easiest going person around. I’ll never forget you my friend <3 Katie K
I’m so sorry to hear the passing of Joey. My husband and I will miss his frequent stops at the house and the laughs and conversations we always had. Rob always cherished there friendship and golf outings. May he Rest In Peace and know you raised a good son. Our hearts are hurting. Kathy and Bob Anderson
Words cannot express how brokenhearted we are for the whole McKenna family.
We know how much joy he brought to his family and friends.
He was so funny.I am remembering his narration and video of the 2020 pierogi day.
We will continue to keep you close in heart, mind and prayers
Love,Keith and Rosie Kieltyka
I just heard the news and I’m in disbelief. I only met Joey 3 years ago, but his smile and laughter brightened every room. My heart goes out to your family. Rest in peace, Joe. You will be sorely missed.
Our deepest condolences to Linda, Peter, Chris and Michael. Our hearts ache for you. May God be good to your precious, wonderful son Joe, Rest In Peace.
I’m so sorry to hear this. My heart goes out to everyone who loved Joe.
My heart is broken over the loss of Joe. Joe had so many amazing traits but the best was his ability to make people laugh and his kind heart. I am so sorry to the McKenna family over their loss. Joe will always remain in the heart’s of all the people he touched. May he rest in peace.
Sending our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers.
Joseph and Joan Anterio
Our hearts break for all of you and we certainly are beyond words about Joe’s passing. We ALWAYS talk of him while in school with Chris, and smile thinking of his time raiding our snack closet. Anytime his name was mentioned people would smile. He truly made everyone laugh..May God help you through this difficult time.
So heartbroken to hear of Joey’s passing. He was such an amazing friend and person. My prayers go out to the McKenna Family
So sorry to hear this news. Joe was a wonderful man and he will be missed by all. My deepest sympathies and love to you both Pete and Linda, as well as Chris and Michael. I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling. Xoxo
Words can not express the sorrow that I feel for your family, & all who knew & loved Joe. May he rest in eternal peace and may your faith & memories comfort you during this devastating time. 🙏🏻
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this tremendously difficult time.
Dear Pete, Linda, Chris, Michael and families,
My thoughts and prayers are with you all with the passing of Joey. May the love and memories you hold in your heart always sustain you and bring you comfort. To quote Helen Keller: “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose for all that we love deeply become a part of us”.
Love,
Toni
A loss like this causes a heaviness in the heart that won’t go away. Watching the video above, you can clearly see how many loved Joe, and how he fully loved them back. He was a family man, an awesome friend, and someone who put a smile on every single face around him – but you already know that. The world is not as bright without Joey in it and he will be missed a great deal. May God wrap His arms around The McKenna family and all of his friends. A huge hug to the Smithtown guys.. I am hurting for you all.
Dear Linda, Pete: Sean shared the news with me, and while it has been some years since we’ve seen one another, I wanted to send my condolences. I have many fond memories of watching Joe, Chris, and Mike growing up – Super Bowl Sundays, holidays, and summer barbeques in Chuck and Leslie’s backyard. I still remember the three of them doing “Men in Black” at their wedding. I am so very sorry for the loss of your beautiful son, Joe. Sending you love and prayers.
We are so sorry to hear of the passing of your son… our heartfelt prayers go out to your entire family..
We are heartbroken to hear about Joe, we have memories of such a wonderful kid
Our love and prayers are with you all at this time.
Stan & I will keep all of you in Our Prays forever!
All of us at LIVBC are devastated at Joe’s passing. Our prayers and thoughts are with the entire
McKenna Family.
Dear Linda and Pete & Family:
May god wrap his loving arms around u and hold u tight. Our condolences to the whole family.
So sorry to hear this.
Love;
John & Tracy Mcgreevy
So sorry to hear of your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
The Miliotto Family
Joe was the kindest most radiant person. I had the honor of working with him and becoming his friend over the last four years. It was so funny, you often knew he was in a room before you even saw him because without a doubt you would hear his laugh or voice filling the area. You could always count on him for compassion or to simply just make you smile or laugh on any day whether you thought you had it in you to laugh at all. He will be dearly missed but his kindness nor memory will never be forgotten. I’m thankful to have known him.
Joe was such an upbeat, cheerful coworker. I really looked forward to any interactions with Joe because I knew I would come away smiling. We are really going to miss Joe at Newsela.
Joe and I started at Newsela on the same day. He was a bright light with a huge smile who always had a joke up his sleeve and could always lend a helping hand. Joe you are missed. My thoughts and prayers to your family.
Joe was always a bright spot in our office. So kind, funny, affable, and always willing to help. Some of my favorite memories of him from work were his hilarious fire drill speeches as our Deputy Fire Warden, delivering an awesome (and hysterical) presentation on how to save money during Bring Your Kid to Work Day, pulling pranks on each other like popping out from behind doors to scare each other nearly on a daily basis, laughing at his bocce ball stories over the occasional lunch, and just his overall good nature. He was such a pillar to the good vibes and positive energy at our company. We all miss him dearly and send love to his family.
Joe worked a lot of long days and late nights. He was often the last person I would see on my way out the door, and always with a smile and funny quip that lightened my mood. So kind-hearted, so warm and so funny. A pleasure to be around and a companion to all. Such a wonderful man, colleague, and friend. I will miss him greatly and will keep him in my thoughts. Sending love and light to his family.
Dear Linda, Peter and Family,
We are so very sorry and shocked to hear this. Our hearts break for you. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers for you and your family. May God Bless Joey and you all.
Ann and Mike Fusco and family.
Joe worked on the finance team, but he was more like a celebrity in our office. He was our fire warden and our ping pong tournament emcee. I remember once looking across a room of 100+ during one of his presentations and everyone had a smile on their face. He will be missed. Much love to the McKenna family.
We are so sorry for your loss. I remember Joe, his brothers and PJ & Delia at Bridie’s house. She was in her glory having all the grandchildren with her. Joe was the big brother and leader of the pack.
Joey, I have so many HS and college memories together. I have to thank you for always being a friend who was happy to be there for others. Even when time would pass between us, seeing you again was like we never were apart. You will be missed greatly.
Dearest Peter, Linda and Family,
We are devastated to hear about the loss of your beloved Joseph. We are praying for all of you. Sending our deepest condolences.
Love,
Sheila and Gene O’Driscoll
I will miss Joe like a brother, we worked together every day for the last two years and I learned so much from him! He always knew how to make me smile, and he always had my back. I have been thinking and praying about him ever since I found out. Sending my most positive thoughts and love to McKenna family!
I remember my first day in the office at Newsela. I happened to meet Joe by chance when I got there and I remember feeling so very lucky to be welcomed into the company by such a hilarious and kind person. There is now a hole at Newsela that will never be filled. While I only knew Joe for about 18 months, my life is forever richer for the memories and laughs he provided. My heart goes out to the McKenna family. My thoughts are with you all during this unimaginable time.
Joe, among many things, was first and foremost a relentless champion of human interaction. He loved engaging with strangers, and tirelessly devoted much of his life to making us all laugh.
One of his age-old and favorite gags was when he was expecting company, at his dorm room, or apartment, or at Linda and Pete’s, he would deliberately lock the door. W his guest tried to open it, he’d yell “it’s open!”. When they tried the knob the second time, (still locked) you would just hear his signature belly laugh, as he shuffled up to the door to unlock it.
He brought out the best in everyone he met, and his energy and presence will always be felt among those who had the opportunity to love him.
Scrolling through all of these kind messages just affirms what we all knew about Joe. He was a bright light that touched so many lives. As a coworker and friend, Joe was so much more than just the funniest person in the room (which he always was). He was able to connect with almost anybody with such ease. His sincere personality gave comfort to all who crossed paths with him. I consider myself lucky to have been his friend. My prayers are with his family.
Thoughts and prayers to the Mckenna family sorry for your lose hold Gods hands to help ye through this time🙏🏼
It has been an honor to know Joey over the past fourteen years. I met him as a sophomore in college, and there isn’t a memory of being in his presence that does not include me laughing hysterically. Joey, or as we called him, Styles, would own a room when he was in it. He had an energy that was contagious and would make you gravitate towards him. Over the last two years, we spent a lot of time together, and I will forever be grateful for the extra laughs he has given me.
To his family, I have not met you in person, but Joey constantly spoke about his family. He loved his family unapologetically. His family came first, and any opportunity to speak about his family he took it. I heard about the Christmas carols, his brothers, nephew, cousins, and parents. He loved being at home with his family, and more often than not, he was in Long Island with a family member. I have not stopped thinking of you and your loss. But please know, you have raised an amazing man who has impacted the lives of so many people. We are forever grateful to have known him and will carry him in our hearts forever. All of my amazing memories in Albany include him. Rest In Peace, Joey.
I’m heartbroken. Joe was a colleague and a friend. Every time I visited New York, we’d invariably wind up at a comedy club together. He was a shining beacon of positivity and goodness. I’ll miss him dearly.
Words can not express how sad we are for your devastating loss. Hoping you get some comfort from your faith family and friends
Sending all my condolences and strength to the McKenna family. Joeys memory will always be a blessing.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I am so sorry for your loss.
Pete, Linda and family,
We were shocked to hear of your son Josephs passing and we cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Allan and Mary
The world lost a great one… Joe, your smile was infectious and you made me smile every day. I will miss talking sports,and being in your presence….. You made Newsela fun every single day. You will be sorely missed…. My thoughts and prayers go out to your family during this difficulty time. RIP my friend……
You will always be remembered brother. Rest easy and good bless your family and friends
Joe started working at Newsela about a week after I started, so I have had the pleasure of knowing him my entire tenure there, and I am truly blessed to be able to say that. He seemed to always be that person I was randomly in the elevator with on the way up or down from lunch, and we shared many laughs and sports convos over the years. Rest easy buddy, my heart goes out to his entire family.
To Joe’s family – I am so sorry for your loss. I didn’t know Joe well, but we worked together at Newsela for years and I will always remember his warm smile and friendly hello in the elevator. Once he made a light-hearted presentation at a company all-hands and he was so funny he had the whole audience cracking up. Even without knowing him well, it was clear that he was a special person who was very, very loved. I am holding all of you in the light.
Joe was truly a joy to be around and brought happiness wherever he went. He will be missed greatly by everyone who knew him. I am so sorry for your loss. I’ll cherish all the time we’ve had together and thankful I got a chance to call you a friend, rest easy buddy.
Joe was one of my favorite coworkers — charming, funny, easygoing, and fun to be around. It was never a bad time when he was around, and I’ll miss him and his uplifting energy very much.
To Joe’s family,
I’m sure I’m saying what’s been said in dozens of remembrances, but I’ve never met anyone quite like Joe. I was lucky enough to work with him the past four years. I think it’s fair to say that anyone at work who crossed his path felt lucky to work with him.
Joe was in accounting, which gets a false, media-fueled bad rap as the place were emotionless beancounters end up. Joe was the opposite of that stereotype—though he certainly was great at counting the beans. He was constantly cracking people up, social, warm, and ever-present. He loomed large in Newsela’s culture.
I loved the fact that he decided to become the office fire warden. He’d wear this amazing yellow fire warden cap and seamlessly blend hilariously bizarre quips with totally earnest advice about where to find the nearest fire exits and what to do if there was a poison gas attack. People would cheer at the end of his fire warden talks. CHEER! Who gets that sort of reaction?! Well, for anyone who knows Joe, it should be no surprise that he did.
In addition to being a colleague, Joe was my next-door neighbor in my desk pod for a couple years. We have an open office plan, and the HR team had a conundrum when we moved to our new office: they thought someone might get freaked out having to sit next to the CEO every minute of every day, but they didn’t want to make me feel like a leper by seating no one around me. So Joe was the right guy for the job. I don’t think it would occur to him to be intimidated or awkward because he was 100% himself 100% of the time. I loved sitting next to Joe. We didn’t talk a ton, but when we did, it was rarely garden-variety chit-chat. The moments I remember best are when he informed me that the ancient Greeks didn’t have a word for the color blue (for the life of me, I have no idea what the context of that comment was) and when he showed me a concept for writing in spirals. In fact, he wanted to build technology and a website to help people write in spirals, or something like that. He thought it could help you think in new ways, and he was enthralled by the beauty of it. It was so Joe.
A lot of folks talk about his goofiness and his warmth, but it’s easy to forget what a dedicated worker he was: detail-oriented, always wanting to learn, ambitious, collegial to a fault. When he decided to make a career change away from accounting into sales—a gutsy move—he decided to do it within Newsela. A lot folks in the company were excited for him as he prepared for his new adventure. He loved the company, and the company loved him right back.
Which brings me to one last point: he was SO loved at Newsela. I started the company eight years ago, and we’ve grown to 350 people. Being part of a that community is a big reason why I stick around. And sure, all 350 of those people matter, but when I think of the people who most define the Newsela culture, Joe is pretty damn close to the top of the list. It’s just unbelievable to me that he’s gone and he’ll love a hole in our culture and in our hearts.
Joe, we’ll miss you, buddy. I’ll miss you. Wherever you are, I hope you’re at peace and spreading your warmth and spirit throughout the fabric of the universe.
Love,
Matthew Gross
Founder & CEO
Newsela
Joe brought such light, life, and joy to those around him. I’m thankful to have known him and will miss him and his crazy, funny, energetic self. My love and thoughts go out to Joe and his family & friends.
Joe was a wonderful colleague and friend. He was such a bright light and always went out of his way to give you a big hug and make you feel welcome. Any room that Joe was in was instantly full of laughter and joy. He is so dearly missed. Thank you Joe, for so many great memories. I feel so lucky to have known you. Sending love to family and friends.
I am still in disbelief over the sad passing of Joe. He was always full of spirit, light and love. No matter who he met, Joe made his presence known in a big way and could always brighten a room by making people laugh. He will sadly be missed in the hearts of everyone he touched. Joe was like a third brother to me who was relentless in teasing and picking on me, and vice versa. I will miss him shouting “Hey Lo!” as soon as he came into the house. I have many fond memories to choose from that always make me laugh out loud and am so grateful for that. Joe will always have a lobster every year at the Riccio household on Christmas Eve and a place in our family. Sending much love and condolences to The McKenna Family.
I had the honor of meeting Joe and speaking to him over the last few months at work. He had such a warm soul and made me immediately feel like a friend.
He will be dearly missed at Newsela. Sending love to the McKenna family.
It’s so hard to believe this is true. For the just over four years I’ve worked with Joe he was renowned for making everyone feel welcome, laugh and smile. It takes a special person to be able to do that and special he sure was. I will never forget the countless happy hours I dragged him to which included him celebrating his first Australia Day with me. He embraced that day with such excitement and made it a blast. He always made the best of things and there truly is a hole at Newsela now with his infectious charisma missing.
Joe, thank you for all the laughs, smiles, fun times and friendship. You’ve touched the lives of more people one can imagine and you will never be forgotten.
Sending my thoughts and prayers to the McKenna family and everyone feeling this loss.
Joe could truly brighten anyone’s day. Whether it was shouting your name across the office and making you feel like a celebrity or sharing a story about his latest adventure, he knew how to make you feel special. His combination of incredible work ethic, sense of humor, and larger than life personality truly made him one of a kind. We will miss you and continue to honor your legacy. Sending lots of love and pray to the McKenna family during this incredibly difficult time.
It’s so hard to believe this is true. For the just over four years I’ve worked with Joe he was renowned for making everyone feel welcome, laugh and smile. It takes a special person to be able to do that and special he sure was. I will never forget the countless happy hours I dragged him to which included him celebrating his first Australia Day with me. He embraced that day with such excitement and made it a blast. He always made the best of things and there truly is a hole at Newsela now with his infectious charisma missing.
Joe, thank you for all the laughs, smiles, fun times and friendship. You’ve touched the lives of more people one can imagine and you will never be forgotten.
Sending my thoughts and prayers to the McKenna family and everyone feeling this loss.
I had the great pleasure of working with Joe over the past 2 years at Newsela. Joe was one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever met. Outrageously funny and incredibly warm, Joe was one of those people who understood how to squeeze the most joy out of every day. It seems impossible and unfair that someone with so much life was taken from us so early. His impact will be felt for years here at Newsela.
My thoughts and prayers are with the McKenna family. Joe will be dearly missed by so many.
My deepest condolences to Joeys family and loved ones. This loss is immeasurable along with the impact Joey made on so many lives. Love and strength to you all.
Joey was one of a kind and kind to every one. He was like no one else in my life. His ability to make me laugh (and himself) was unmatched. I met Joey at orientation at SUNY Albany. I walked in the room a little late, frazzled and nervous. Something about Joey’s energy pulled me in, I sat next to him, laughed about a story that will stay between us 🙂 and the rest was history. We started hanging out back home on long island immediately and were attached at the hip from that point on, like brother and sister. Having him by my side throughout college opened me up, brought me out of my shell and allowed me to meet so many people and make so many friends. Joey made a scene, everyone wanted to be his friend and I reaped the benefits. Joey would introduce me to people that he thought I would really hit it off with, I owe so many other forever friends to him. I will miss our silly texts, hearing about his nephew and how cool he was, catching up on how our families are doing, talking about our jobs and getting advice from one another on dating relationships. No matter how many friends and loved ones Joey had, he always listened, gave advice, truly cared and made you feel like the most important person to him in that moment. He gave all of himself and left it all out on the dance floor. His light will live on in my heart forever, I will never forget him and always tell his stories.
To the McKenna Family, I am so sorry for your loss, Joey was an amazing guy who got along with everyone and he will be missed dearly. I will cherish the memories I have with him and always remember his sense of humor, style and laid back personality to only name a few. I don’t think I ever really got into an argument with joey, he was always the most chill person in the room and always someone you can count on to listen to whatever you had to say. Thinking back from when we used to go out In the jeep senior year with those alpine subs, and all the fun times we had makes me sad that it hadn’t been as frequent in recent years. I’ll always remember the last memory last year Fourth of July and the songs playing and how you wanted to change it cuz Siena was there. Rest easy joey mac, I’ll always keep you in my heart.
Joe was one of the first people I met when I started work at Newsela. It was my first week and I felt a little overwhelmed, and he just hung out near my desk and introduced himself in the kindest, most unassuming way. And suddenly, I had a friend. I have many memories of Joe, but that’s one I cherish most. He made everyone feel welcome and part of the family. We later played on a casual soccer team together, and his presence was like a switch that let everyone relax and have fun — he’d have me laughing so hard my side would hurt. I’m still an awe at the way he embodied warmth, goofiness, and true sincerity all at once. He was the type of person that makes everyone around him feel special. Thanks for sharing your light with us, Joe. I’ll miss you.
I feel so lucky to have known Joe and to call him a friend. Whether it was at a happy hour or passing each other in the office at Newsela, whenever I’d see Joe I’d always have the biggest smile on my face. Joe always gave off such warmth, positivity, and light and was one of the funniest people I have ever met. I’ll miss him dearly. Sending my love and condolences to the McKenna family.
Pete and Linda,
My sincere condolences on the loss of your son, Joe. My thoughts and prayers are with you and with Chris and Michael in this difficult time. It is apparent on these pages that he was greatly loved and appreciated by those who knew him best and that he brought much happiness to everyone he met.
I had the pleasure of working with Joe for a couple years. He had a great energy and attitude. I will miss him stopping by to talk about the latest baseball news, or crack a quick joke, and I will never forget the sound of his contagious laugh. My condolences to his family. We will miss you buddy, rest in peace.
My family and I are so sorry for your loss. We are keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear McKenna Family,
My deepest sympathies on your heartbreaking loss. I had the privilege of knowing Joey through his friendship with my nephew “Cheddar”. He was a joy to be around and was always with a laugh and a smile. He will be missed.
Cheddar’s Aunt,
Miriam
Joe was undeniably one of the most outgoing and warm people I have had the pleasure of knowing. When I first started at Newsela and coworkers found out I did standup, they all would immediately say “Have you met Joe??” And I am so glad that I did. Joe was naturally so funny, and gifted at making new people feel welcome. His big personality and heart will be missed by so many. My thoughts are with his family through this difficult time. I miss you, buddy. Rest in peace.
Dear McKenna Family,
My deepest sympathies to you. I am heartbroken for you all. You all will be in my prayers. May Joey rest in peace. With love
I am so lucky to have had Joe as a friend. I will always be grateful for all the laughs and remember him for the truly good person that he was. Joe was so special and he will be incredibly missed. I will continue to keep his family in my prayers.
I’ve laughed and cried reading through all of these wonderful memories of Joe. He was such a genuine, caring person. So fun and full of life and just brightened up everyone around him. His sense of humor was one of the greatest I think I’ll ever know and his laugh was completely infectious. I can still hear him yelling “YO MANDI” and laughing. The memories I have of him are endless and I’m grateful for the years I was blessed to have known him. He was a wonderful, bright light who not surprisingly touched many, many lives. I know he won’t ever be forgotten. Joey Mac, I will miss you dearly.
Joe had the brightest light, the most joyful energy, and the kindest heart. I simply cannot believe all of that doesn’t still remain. My deepest sympathy to his family and friends. I had the pleasure of knowing him briefly, but he truly left a mark on my heart. I hope these messages bring you all even the slightest bit of comfort.
My Deepest condolences. Joe was a dear friend to my brother Michael and always made me laugh when he was around. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Joe was such a source of good in the world and a rare human. He was incredibly kind, a genuine soul and always knew how to get a laugh. His loss is immense. I am grateful to have known him, for his friendship and I will treasure the memories. My deepest condolences to his family.
Joe was such a source of good in the world and a rare human. He was incredibly kind, a genuine soul and always knew how to get a laugh. His loss is immense. I am grateful to have known him, for his friendship and I will treasure the memories. My deepest condolences to his family.
My son’s good friend – a great loss
Such a terrible loss. We are keeping you all in our prayers.
Joe was such an outsized personality at Newsela, so much that you couldn’t work for Newsela and *not* know who he was. With every company event or social hour, you could always count on Joe to break the ice, and it was always more fun whenever he was around. He was certainly funny and offbeat, but you could also count on him to be serious when he needed to be. He loved Newsela and Newsela loved him. I’ll fondly remember his warmth and light.
So saddened to hear this news!
I had the privilege to work with such a fun and cheerful human being who always knew how to cheer a person up!
Thankful to have met you,Joe.
Sad that you left us so soon. #RIP
I went to SUNY Albany with joe, we played on the same softball team. He was a great person and this is terrible news. My condolences to the family
We are sending you healing prayers, comfort and hugs.
Love from the Wallace clan,
Mary Jo Tommasi, Richard, Robert and John
I’ve literally never met someone who smiled more, laughed more, who was more laid back, or made you feel like a million bucks more consistently than Joey. Every time I saw him was a treat, and every time somehow he was even kinder than the last time I saw him. I am so saddened and so heartbroken for his family. He will be missed.
I worked with Joe for only two months in the office before the pandemic, but he made a big impression on me. He simply made the people around him happy. He was always a treat to be near. Please accept my condolences.
Reading all these made me once again realize how impacted so many people were by Joe. I am so lucky to have known Joe and his wonderful family. I remember having. Dinners or pool parties at the Mckenna’s and never wanting to leave because it was such a beautiful family and those family values really shone through in Joe. In a sea of hundreds of people who loved and connected with Joe, I can’t help but feel so very special to be included in this tribute video and to have had the opportunity to have him as one of my best friends. I am still dealing with the profound impact of the loss of someone who was so close to my heart for almost 17 years. There are so many times every single day when the smallest thing will remind me of him. Joe, you meant so much to so many and besides all of the laughs and humor everyone has undoubtedly mentioned, you had a beautiful heart and you have been there for me throughout so many hard times in my life. I will miss you forever.