My Friend, Bruce

January 6, 2024, is a day of great honor for one of my dearest friends, and adopted brother, Bruce.

Bruce was a wrestler in Waukegan (West) High School in Illinois. We graduated in 1979, so we’ve been out of school 45 years this year. Remember that…45 years.

Even though Bruce and I started out in the same schools in Illinois, my family transferred to another city, in another state, in my junior year of high school. Later, my family transferred again to North Carolina without me because I was married. It was then that my brother happened to be driving through a NC neighborhood when he stopped a man who was mowing his yard. He thought the man looked familiar. Well, he was definitely familiar! It was Bruce! Bruce had also moved from Illinois to North Carolina. What was the chance of that?! Well they reconnected and then my brother helped me to reconnect with Bruce, who at the time, was a radio DJ.

Later in life, Bruce and I helped each other through some very tough places and those events changed our lives for the better and brought us even closer. Bruce adopted me as his sister, and I adopted him.

When I went to Italy in 2012, he prepared me with old coins and wishes for the Trevi Fountain in Rome. He and his wife gave me the old coins, a book to help with translation, and a cross necklace. I think he was more excited about my trip than I was!

Today we share pictures of our pups and grandkids. He is an awesome person to have in your corner of the world. Everyone should have a Bruce.

Well, last fall I received this message from Bruce (emphasis mine):

Just got a message. I’m going to be inducted into the Waukegan Sports Hall of Fame!!

Highest team scoring wrestler in Waukegan West history,

Highest record in Waukegan High School wrestling for a heavyweight,

Highest team scoring record for a heavyweight wrestler in Waukegan…of all time.

And that induction ceremony was held yesterday, January 6th., in Waukegan, IL.

I cannot be any more proud of Bruce than I am today. He’s held some of those records since he was a sophomore. You do the math. That’s nothing short of amazing.

Congratulations, Bruce! I can honestly say, “I knew you when!”

♥️

Andi