Happy Birthday Alex

If things were right with the world...Alex would have turned 32 today.

He would have celebrated with his mother, sister and Dennis. They would have enjoyed a dinner of duck, he would have opened a gift or two and then they would have watched a movie before heading to bed on Christmas Eve.

If things were right with the world... Over the summer we would have gone climbing and hopefully brought Serena, Janet and maybe even Alan along as well. Alex would have scrambled up something and I would have yelled at him to do it faster, more graceful or something ("Use your legs!) no matter how well he did it. At least I'd yell with a smile and we'd still go out to eat afterwards.

If things were right with the world Janet, Serena, Alan and crew would have gotten him out skiing. The snow is amazing this year. He would have loved it.

Sadly I'm not the judge of what is right and what isn't. Unfortunately cancer... abnormal cellular growth... does happen. Though so small it can spread and grow and ruin a beautiful life.

All that we can do is hold on to the love that he had for each of us. Remember his words of comfort, his strength of character and his sidelong looks at us when we did something that he didn't quite agree with but tolerated. He's no longer here, but we are here for each other. Though distance may separate us, and some of us will never meet, we share a common bond in having a great friend named Alex Tung. Someone ... who in his quiet way did what he could to make things right in the world.

Keep up the good works for all your neighbors, all over the world, this holiday season and throughout the new year if for no other reason than that Alex would have wanted you to.

Happy Birthday Alex, and Happy Holidays to all.

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Written by: Blase B. Iuliano
Edited by: Janet Cheng