Email from Cher Jones

Dear Barny

I hope you will excuse the 'random' email, but I think of Sam and Michela very often and this evening thought that for once I would put pen to paper (at least electronically) and pass on my best regards and ongoing empathy to you and all your family. I was a friend of Michela's and met Sam only a handful of times, but was completely drawn to him and his genuine character. I won't go on, but I just want you and your family to know that even those of us on the fringes of Sam and Michela's life feel a gaping ongoing gap and at times when I miss my friend and her lovely husband who I would have so enjoyed spending more time with, I think of your family and Michela's and how you must feel.

The last time I saw them both was in the lift at the hotel in the morning after their wedding. They had just checked out and were about to drive south. Michela had on a lovely beret and was very 'a la mode' as was always the case, and Sam had this lovely tweed jacket on and I commented on how 'manly' he smelled (in my mind I was of course thinking tweed, leather and tobacco) but quick as a flash Sam responded that he must be smelling a bit 'ripe'! It made me laugh and off we all got out of the lift to get our bags and that was the last time I saw them. They were so completely happy together.

I hope you and your family are doing as best as you can and investing all the good that you have to offer in the generation that you have ahead of you. I was very drawn to your lovely mother and her brother and his partner whom I met at the wedding. There are many people like me who think of your loss often and send you our very best wishes. My mother's sister died tragically when she was 19 and that event completely changed the fabric of the family....more than anything all of us, even those of us that were very young when we lost her, live in the constant knowledge that our family members are so precious and we must never take them for granted.

Thank you for doing the website (sam and michela blogspot), it means a lot to be able to look at it.

Kind regards

Cher Jones