Monday, April 17, 2006

A very dear American tourist


On this Easter Monday, this is an exceptional post in honor of 78-year-old Jessie Salone who passed away the 29th of March and who also happened to be the mother of Michael, a frequent commenter here at PDP. I met Jessie while she came to Paris to see her son (this photo was taken at Maxim's restaurant, rue Royale) and I remember her as a very caring lady (she used to be a nurse, no wonder!). My deepest sympathies are with you Michael.

By the way, Michael had the thoughtful idea of establishing a fund at the hospital where she used to work. If you want to contribute $1 or $2 you may do so by clicking here; where it asks for "donor designation", indicate "Other" and where it asks for "Tribute/Memorial", indicate "JJ Salone Nursing Education Fund". Notification can be sent to the "Family of J. Salone from a PDP Blogger" if you so wish.

35 comments:

  1. Michael: we are so, so very sorry for you loss. Please accept our deepest condoleances.

    Sincerely, TF

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  2. I will give a moment of silence for Jessie. She looks like she was a very sweet woman in life. I will also be contributing to the fund in her name. My sympathies are with you Michael, I lost my mother a few years ago. While no ones pain is ever the same I can at least sympathize. My prayers are with you and your family in your time of grief.

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  3. My prayers are for this great lady and for Michael too...

    Michael I share your sorrow

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  4. Sorry to hear of your loss, Michael.

    By the way, your mother's compassionate nature (which Eric alludes to) is written all over her face. One imagines that it must also be inscribed on your memory of her, which I am sure will never fade.

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  5. Wow Eric, I never expected a full post dedicated to my mom. She would be so proud to be on a blog about Paris. You know how much she loved this city and your blog.

    In her later years, she really got into enjoying the computer with us communicating across the ocean by Messenger, Skype, and webcam. She even started her own blog called Jessie's Adventures. I was so proud.

    Thanks to all of you for the kind comments.

    soosha_q - that is very nice of you. I can imagine that if all of Eric's readers did this, the nursing education fund would be enormous due to his readership (but I'm not pushing, I promise).

    With sincere gratitude,

    Michael

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  6. Michael, I am sorry to hear about your mother passing away. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.

    Thank you Eric.

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  7. that is what i like about your blog - you are not afraid to be different. happy easter eric and my sympathies to michael.

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  8. Eric,
    That is so sweet of you. I know Jessie would have loved to have been on your Paris Daily Photo blog. She always spoke about how much she loved Paris.

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  9. Michael - I loved your mom's blog, and I thought that it was great that she got to visit you in Paris last May, before she started having serious health problems.

    And, Eric - I am so happy that you did this in memory of Jessie, and for Michael, who is an active contributor (as a commenter) to PDP.

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  10. Michael,

    My condolences go out to you and your family.

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  11. Michael, My heart and sympathies reach out to you during this most difficult time.

    Eric, thank you for paying such a kind tribute to one of your PDP readers.

    PDP readers, I hope that you all are as deeply moved as I am by Eric's tribute to Jessie, and will honor this fellow blogger with a contribution to the nursing education fund established in her honor. Eric's link made it a very simple process for me.

    Come on bloggers! Let's all help memorialize Jessie !!!

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  12. Michael,

    My deepest sympathy to you and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  13. Michael: thanks for letting us see your mom's blog. I had a great time looking at it last night. She took some pretty good pictures inside the Louvre and some fun street stuff. So you have a birthday coming up, eh? :)

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  14. You are in my prayers.



    http://kansascitydailyphoto.blogspot.com/

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  15. Thanks/Merci everyone! I never thought I'd be having sympathy expressed on a blog.

    Tomate, you really DID read her blog didn't you!

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  16. I'm sorry that I am so late in posting this, Michael. Your mother looks like such a wonderful person and her blog was very interesting. You can see her spirit coming through her choice of photographs. Having lost my father a few years ago, I deeply empathesize with your loss. I'm sure her wonderful memories will live strongly within you.

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  17. Michael, I'm very sorry to read of the loss of your mum, but very glad that she was able to travel to places she loved almost until the end of her life! Hope that gives you some happy thoughts.

    È Italiana, per caso?

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  18. Thank you lareveuse, I didn't realise what an affect it would have on me, but several people who've had the same experience seem to really understand. It's why I set up the fund...to direct the energy and sympathy to a good place.

    Yes lagatta, she was fortunate to be able to travel. We even made it to Italy (Italian last name is right), but she never got to Montréal...

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  19. To michael,
    I am not good in comforting people so I dont know what to say.,,hope this will do. I am so sorry about your lose and If its any comfort at all,.I know you will see your sweet mother again someday!

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  20. Thank you midnitebara...you did a pretty good job of comforting!

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  21. Michael, I am so sorry for your loss.

    If you're up for it, how about lunch? I'm at 06 88 02 61 98 but it's a prepaid # that's only good 'til Thursday.

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  22. Thank you Buzzgirl, and although I'd love the chance to meet you (and score on some Girl Scout cookies), I'm trying to get caught up on things here that have been neglected. I hope you understand. However, anybody else who now has Buzzgirl's phone number, I can highly recommend her company based on Eric's post!

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  23. That is super nice of you eric and a nice story. I gave $5USD micheal, I hope that helps. It was better than spending it on a box of cigaretes today anyway (after seeing the smoking picture above). My deepest sympathies to you and your loved ones.

    *Rafael*

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  24. Yes, Michael, I did. Wherever you link, I go! :-) And besides, it's a nice blog. You absolutely should be proud! I will show it to my Dad who is about the same age but has some difficulty getting used to the Internet.

    This might make you laugh but once, my Dad sent me a comment to a post ... by Air mail! (He can't figure out how to comment!) You gotta love the thought, though.

    And I hadn't seen seen Mona Lisa close up like this since I was a kid, if I ever did. I don't think she was behind glass at the time, though. So that was really nice. Thanks again for showing it to us.

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  25. Buzzgirl, how did you get a prepaid number? Is that a disposable cell phone?

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  26. Rafael...thank you very much. It is very much appreciated!

    Tomate....an insiders tip...If you're ever traveling with someone in a wheelchair, you can enter the Louvre without waiting in line, take the fancy elevator down to the ground floor, and the guards will clear EVERYBODY out of the way so that you can go right up close to the Mona Lisa to take as many photos of the miniscule painting that you want. Shhhh...don't tell them I told you so!

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  27. Excellent tip, Michael, thank you!

    Now, have they made any progress in Paris with regard to people with disabilities and requiring special equipment to get around? Last time I was there I hadn't noticed much improvement at all. :( In that regard, California is way ahead.

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  28. Oh believe me, if I could tell you the stories of pushing a wheelchair in Paris...you'd crack up. I will say that the buses always stopped just in front of mom to help us, but finding a toilet in Paris for handicap people is impossible. I did hear that you can literally get a key to the city that opens up toilets all over Paris. How convenient!

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  29. Michael, my thoughts are with you. Your mum is such a beautiful woman and I'm sure she is with you in spirit, and is happy. Thank you so much for allowing us the privillege of seeing her fantastic blog (your apartment looks stunning, BTW).

    This was really lovely of you Eric, what a wonderful community you have around you.

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  30. Michael > Oh, I think I need that key!!

    Seriously, though, my mom uses a walker with wheels (deambulator?) and it's really no picnic moving that thing around in some areas of Paris. The thing folds (with a lot of effort) but still.

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  31. Thank you Julia. It is very kind of you and all the others. It's kind of weird seeing her picture here every day, but nice as well.

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  32. C'est triste...regrets; but what a lovely shot with the gorgeous upholstered and monogrammed chairs in the background. A nice tribute. May she be dining at the Maxim's in the sky! Paix..kpg

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  33. A PS...Wow I cannot believe your Mom's blog Michael!! I am going to send the link to at least ten people...she has posted pictures of things that I have always wanted to show to people about Paris yet I fail to take the pics and though I'm in Paris two or three times a year..I walk and daydream too much. But she has pictures of the Galerie Apollon in the Louvre with the Crown Jewels and the CEILING..amazing!! I always tell people about that..and of course a favorite spot for my Macarons Pistache...Laduree!! I lost my Mom in 1999[she was 76]it takes a long time and the first birthday is the most difficult, but eventually only the warm and loving memories will remain. Your apt is lovely and tres chic..and I agree with her about the butterfly prints...thanks for sharing!! kpg

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  34. Thanks so much kpgallant! Your words are very special and appreciated. Why not send the link Eric has posted to the nursing education fund to your friends too. Eric's idea of $1 or $2 each could make a big difference to training nurses, but I don't want to beg either.

    Thanks again!
    Michael

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  35. I've just gone back and read the comments again 4 years later and they still mean so much to me. I'm sure that nobody goes back this far to read, but in case you do, thanks again.

    As an update, since the opening of the Nursing Education Fund, we've held 3 "Caring Seminars" and have given away the first nursing scholarship this year. Again THANK YOU!

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