A Fitting Tribute
Last Friday there were many heavy hearts at Nipmuc as a group of well over 150 teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and members of the Class of 2012 gathered in the school's courtyard to commemorate the life of Jack Street on the one year anniversary of his tragic death. The program featured opening comments by Principal John Clements and an outstanding reflective prayer from classmate Matt D'Innocenzo where they recalled Jack's gentle nature, great sense of humor, and his great passion for life. A highlight of the program was when Class of 2012 President Dan Consigli unveiled the class gift to Nipmuc, a beautiful bench (pictured above) made from Jack's skis and dedicated in his honor. The bench will be permanently installed in the Nipmuc courtyard in the spring.
Another highlight was the performance of the original song, "Memories and Milestones" by Jack's classmate David Byer. The lyrics are the following:
Even though I couldn’t find it, I was told to cherish the small
And now that it’s gone I can see it all
I’ll shed a tear and I’ll say a prayer
In hopes that you find all you dreamed of up there
Cause even though we’d never know, it’s the little things that mean the most
You were always so happy, just being you
There’s not a thing we could do, to ever change you
So please rest easy while back home you are not lost
In our prayers, and in our thoughts
Even though I couldn’t find it, I was told to cherish the small
And now that it’s gone I can see it all
Memories and milestones are going to trickle down my cheek
When there’s only silence is when you’ll hear us weep
But these won’t be tears of sorrow, just tears that show you
How grateful we all are that we were blessed just to know you
Even though I couldn’t find it, I was told to cherish the small
And now that it’s gone I can see it all
Yeah I can see it all, yeah I can see it all
Yeah I can see you here, with that smile
The one we all know and love, the smile that’s now above
But know your smiling at better days, and you’re smiling in a better place
This touching song may be heard here:
A common theme that was touched upon Friday afternoon was the strength of community, and how the unspeakable pain of the past year was eased a bit by students and community members being there for Street and Murphy families... and one another. May that comfort and sense of community continue for the Jack's family. Most of all, may Jack's memory continue to be alive and be a sense of joy to all in our community.
