Todd was our baby brother. Mom said Dad only wanted 2 kids and he was thrilled with having a boy and a girl.  Mom wanted a third child. Todd. He was the cutest thing with huge brown eyes. He and Tony would gang up on me as kids (the only middle girl) and were mad all the time because they had to share a room, and I got my own.  I had to be a tom-boy and even had my own little green VW AFX (slot racing) car. Theirs were always faster. Go figure.

Todd went to Catholic school (at the behest of our Mother) and graduated from Vianney in 1986.  Dad passed away in 1984. It was very hard on all of us.   He went on to get an associate's in criminal justice (I'm sure that came in handy). and then Graduated from UMSL.  

Todd loved his cars. I felt sorry for the guy who painted that black Monte. He took it back a thousand times (seems like it) because "I can see the polish strokes in the paint" or something like that.  If he had the hood up, everyone stopped to look. Me, I have no idea what I was looking at. I can find the air filter, dipstick and know what a "holley double-pumper" is and what a "12 bolt -Posi" means, but that's about it.

He loved the sun. If it was a sunny day, there he was, sitting in the lawn chair, shirtless, soaking up the rays. God bless our Sicilian heritage.  He loved cruising, boating, lifting, drinking, going to concerts, and hanging with his friends. 

I remember on my wedding day in 1989 the three of us standing in the vestibule discussing who would walk me down the aisle. "Both of you need to do it". Cue the tears as both my beloved brothers gave me away at my wedding. 

He was Mom's caregiver until she passed in 2012. She would not have been able to live in that house without Todd. 

Todd will be missed. Todd will live on in our hearts. And we will continue to speak fondly of him to keep his memory alive. Godspeed brother. You crossed the finish line. RIP.