My grandparents, Amelio & Frances Giambastiani with my son Loren James and daughter Natalie Jeanne-Marie
It was Friday, June 24th, 1994. I was in Disneyland with my now husband and our four kids. We were getting ready to watch the Aladdin Parade on Main Street when suddenly I felt shivers so strongly that my whole body trembled. I thought I was really excited to Aladdin… Then shortly after the parade, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for the night visit… Disneyland lit up.
I stopped in the gift shop and bought a thriller. The story was about a woman who’s father was missing; he was headed home from work, he never got home; he and his car were missing.
………On Sunday I came home from my trip. I had a message to call my mom as soon as I could. I did. She told me that my grandparents had not been heard from since Thursday; someone saw them on Friday at the grocery store (45 minutes from their home) they remembered them because my grandma stopped a woman to tell her how darling her little girl was… that was so grandma! But since then there was no sign of them.
By Wednesday their faces were on the TV news, missing person posters, and volunteers were searching county roads for them. Our family and so many dear friends were worried sick. We went to their house from time to time and it was so quiet and eerie. I was so worried! My grandma was my personal cheerleader and she demonstrated unconditional love to me all the time…. I feared the worst, so many scenarios of the worst- but I didn’t give up hope.
Thursday night I went to sleep. It was not a pleasant sleep; I was restless and I had weird dreams. I had a strange dream that we found my grandparents; they were at the airport and they were with my Aunt Amelia; grandma’s sister, who had passed away a couple of years before. I was so relieved to see them safe! They were standing in line, waiting to get on a plane, they were going to Hawaii. No, not Hawaii, they corrected,they were going to Paradise. They were smiling so brightly I think I woke up with a smile.
On that Friday, a week after they were missing, they were found. They had had an accident; their truck went off the road and ended up in the reservoir, 75 feet under water. The coroner assured us that they did not suffer; they must have had fear, but no physical pain. It was shortly afterward that my grandparent’s personal belongings were returned to the family. Both of their watches had stopped at 4:15 on Friday, 6/24. The book I was reading, well, the character who was missing in the story? He was drove off a bridge and landed in a river.
Never, ever take a moment for granted. Never assume you will come home.
Never think there is no higher place to go at the end; we all will meet again. They told me so.
I was 30 years old when this happened and it changed the course of my life forever. I am a bit paranoid, because I have lived to hear the worst; I am a bit more sentimental and I have learned to live in the present as best as I can. I love those who I love, even on the tough days when they seem unlovable. I do my best to spread kindness because I want that to be the last gift I give to someone on this Earth. I don’t have to be right (Always) I don’t want to be a neat freak (Always) and I never want my loved ones to doubt my love for them (Never)
I think about my grandparents’ last conversation on the way home… was it about the food they got and what they would have for dinner? Were they thinking about their family? The mundane or the brilliant in life? I will never know. I do know that they were simple and that they were loved by me, so very, very, much.
My husband still recalls the tenderness he felt when we were at their funeral. There was something so profound in seeing two matching caskets. It broke his heart. I remember seeing my grandma for the last time. It was on Mother’s Day and I told her how much I loved her that day.
I love my dreams now when they visit. I can feel their warmth and I reign in their energy from Heaven.
Kiss and hug your loved ones and tell them how you feel. You will have no regrets if you do.
Blessings