We knew this was coming, but really, are any of us ready when one of our loved ones crosses that line between life and death?
Although we anticipated that Gabor, Cherise’s father, was coming to the end of his life – having to deal with immense pain from severe heart disease (six heart attacks and 30% use), emphysema, an inability to exhale his intake of oxygen, kidneys shutting down, as well as several other underlying health calamities.
Gabor was the true embodiment of “mind over matter” and the testament to the power of the human will as he held on to life for the past two years. Frankly, we really didn’t understand how he made it as long as he did, nor did we truly comprehend the severity of pain in which he lived.
On September 19, 2011, Gabor Alexander Sztamenits stepped from this life into the next.
Immigrating to America during the time of the Hungarian Revolution, he believed having freedom was a privilege to change the world - which he certainly did. Starting from humble beginnings, Gabor defied all odds and built an empire of wealth, not only for his family, but he liked to play “Santa Claus” with many who were downtrodden and unfortunate.
His love for life was to give, and I must say, to give more than what 20 other men might be capable of giving. Gabor rode life like a Hungarian Cowboy, living in Fort Worth, and taking on just about every big deal imaginable. He never feared taking risks because he would always outwork his competitor. That’s what he did best.
Cherise is still in great mourning, and she now has a gigantic hole in her heart over her father’s death. As a result, we are going to take some precious time to grieve, to reflect, and to make sure that we do not fill the empty spaces with the meaningless things in life.
We thank all of you who have been gracious, courteous and thoughtful during our time of loss. We will resume blogging in October. Thank you for your understanding.
And now a life (Gabor Alexander Sztamenits) that began half way around the world has concluded in our midst in Fort Worth, Texas, and we are grateful to God for our times with him.
As the Bagpiper played tribute with the last song at the funeral service, and as his Hungarian friend Zoltan said this week, “We will miss his magical personality.” We will indeed. Amen.
Thank you, John Fiedler, for some of these precious notes from the memorial service.
Feel free to contact Colorado Springs Realtor, Cherise Selley, Active Licensed Broker/Owner of Selley Group Real Estate, LLC or you may contact our group of Colorado Springs Realtors @ www.selleygroup.com or 2139 Chuckwagon Rd, Ste 210 - Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919 - 719. 598. 5101
Portions of this article are written by Gordon, as framed by the expressed opinions of Cherise, but not proofread.
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