Blessed that our paths did cross...

Crossing Paths……
My path crossed with Dan’s a handful of times…..the first time we met, it was playing indoor soccer together at the old indoor center in Williston. The thing I remember most was his passion for the game. He was intense and driven to win, but winning did not matter as much as putting in the effort to win. As a teammate, you couldn’t help but get caught up in his enthusiasm and love for the game.
For the next 10 years or so our paths did not cross very often. We were more on parallel paths, as we were both coaching soccer teams for Essex United. I was coaching the boys and Dan was coaching the girls. Both of our teams enjoyed success over the years. And usually at the Essex United tournament, I could catch a few moments watching his team play in an exciting semi-final or final. It was always fun to watch his excitement as the girls attained success; he provided such a great atmosphere for them to excel in.
The next time our paths crossed it also involved soccer, but this time it was with the Essex Varsity Girls team. I was helping Bill O’Neil coach, and Dan was the super fan on the other side of the field with either a camcorder or a 35mm camera in his hand capturing the events of the 2005 season. However, there was one particular moment that will be forever etched in my memory…..the girls had just won the State Championship in overtime (with Gabby providing the assist for the winning goal) and Dan was moving around the field capturing the moment with his camera, snapping picture after picture. Wearing that patented ear-to-ear smile of his. I can’t ever recall seeing a man so happy. Of course he was happy for Gabby. But he was also happy for the entire team, after all he had coached most of them sometime during their soccer career. In fact a great deal of the credit for the way the girls played that day had to go back to those early years with Dan….they refused to loose. I still smile when I think of one of the “Kodak” moments….The winning goal had just gone in, the field and sidelines erupted, the girls on the field raced to the goal, the rest of the team sprinted onto the field to meet them, at the same time hundreds of the fans sprinted onto the field. They all met at the top of the penalty box and created a huge pile of bodies (at least eight deep), and there was Dan laying on the ground about 5 yards away taking pictures of the bottom of this human pyramid, capturing the moment, as only he could. I feel honored that he gave me one of the photos from that day, it captured the moment like nothing that could be said in 10,000 words.
Today our paths crossed again…..which is why I am sitting here late on a Saturday night recalling the day’s events and thinking about how it started. With a funeral for a friend, Dan Bonfigli ….a man taken from us, long before any of us were ready. If you must know, I hate funerals, I always have. They are vivid reminders of my own mortality, and always leave me depressed and in a state of sadness. But for some reason, this funeral was different…oh it had its folks dressed in dark colors with somber faces, some with tears…..but for some unknown reason today there was this underlying feeling of peace that crept over me. It started with the music and grew stronger with each passing moment, from the bible readings from Gabby and Kim, to comforting and uplifting sermon about God’ grace, and finally to the dedication from Dan’s brothers. It was just a constant reminder of the legacy that Dan left behind and the fact that he is now at peace in heaven. So as I sit here reflecting and writing this note, I feel lucky and blessed that that our paths did cross a couple of times in life. And I found great assurance in today’s service that our paths will cross again…..in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Dan we are all going to miss you. But that huge infectious smile of yours has left an everlasting mark of joy on all our hearts.
Kevin, Michelle & Kyle Dawson