We need your Strength  / Mary Your Mom
Andre please give us your strength to get through these difficult times.  You were always strong and got though a lot in your short life.   You were always there for others and help them through bad times, help us now that we need you.    Guide the ones that love you to see what is best for them at this time in their lives.   Sometimes the answers are right in front of us and we can't see them.    Love Mom. Close

2nd Anniversary  / Mary Your Mom
Andre, today we had a mass for you and went to visit you.   You will never be forgoten.    I have you always in my thoughts.   I miss you and love you  Please watch over me and give me strength.   Love mom. Close

Merry Christmas  / Mary Your Mom
Dear Andre:  Another Christmas without you.   Christmas will never be the same.  I miss you and wish you were here.   I know you are with our Lord in a better place celebrating with him.   Look after me and your grandfather.   Love Mom. Close

You were missed at Vanessa's Engagement Party  / Mary Your Mom

Hi Andre, Vanessa got engaged and all your cousins were there.   It would have been so nice to see you there dancing with Sarah.  I thought about what would you have said at the party.  I miss you

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Happy Birthday!  / Mary Your Mom
Dear Andre:   We went to mass today in your honor and Sean, Toni, Auntie Grace, Abuelo and me went to the cementery brought you flowers and visited for a while.   It was a sad day without you.  We all miss you.   We miss your jokes, your laugh, your handsome face. I miss you and love you.   Mom. Close

Victims advocate training  / Mary Your Mom
Hi Andre you would be very proud of me, I finish the training for Victims Advocate.    I will be helping people in my same situation in your name.   You will never be forgoten.   I miss you, next week is your birthday . . . I wish you were here to celebrate.  Love Mom Close

Hi Guy  / Art Barela (Stepfather)

Hi  Andre,
I know its been awhile since my last visit, 
and my visits have been short. It is not that I don't think of you. I do often, and I know others do also, but it is so painful to think of you not being here with us. And to think that some bastard took you from us. He is a cowardly bastard, this killer that took your life , for he could not know love. I know they will find him and bring him to justice. Your mom will make sure of that! I know you are very proud of her for not letting them forget your case. and she never will. I know as well as you we had our good times and our bad times together and I choose to remember the good times.
I remember the time the 1st time I saw you with your silly grin. It was at the LA fitness, your mom and I play'd raquetball. I remember your mom and I's wedding and you in your tux and how handsome you looked.  Street hockey and basketball games in the Chino Hills home. I remember visiting you in your class room in grade school and how well behaved & embarressed you were. I remember our visits to Palm Springs, And when you and Brandon crashed the L.A. Angels interview and we watched you on tv from our hotel room. I will never forget your first horse back ride as an expert.
I remember us playing racketball and how proud you were when you would beat me. the baseball games, the flag football day's, your skiing trips to Big Bear when you would ski on one ski. I remember you and Brandon playing street hockey in the Chino Hills home. I rememeber your your first experiance on an ATC flipping over backwards and also when you and Brandon later in years would go to the top of the mtn on motorcycles. And our experiance of deep sea fisihing in Avila beach when you helped me pull in the jack pot fish and the excitement in your eyes even though you were sea sick. Our vacation to San Francisco going to dinner and the chinese waiter ordering us fried lice.. 
I remember your 1st car the Saturn, your first motrcycle, our visits to the L.A. Fair with myself and your mom. I remember your excitement when you and your father would share time together. And I also remember the pain you suffered  when he passed away, and also again when your grandmother passed . I know the anger and the pain you felt when you thought of these things, for this pain will never go away for us, missing you every day of our life.This is why, we tend not to want to think or talk about these things between the people who love you so much. I know this is wrong,

Andre,
     you will never be forgotten!

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One of the Good Guys  / Brandon Neher (Friend)
Andre was one of the good guys... My condolences and prayers are with his family.  He was a positive, enthusiastic individual who had no enemies.  It is a shame to have him taken from us in this way, but he is in a better place now looking down on all of us... Close

As time passes by  / Your Mom
Hi Andre time continues to pass and I still miss you the same or more.    You will never be forgoten as long as I live you will always live in my heart.    You have a lot of people that Love you and miss you.  Abuelo wrote your name on the house gate.   He misses you very much.  Please watch over us we need to keep strong.  Love Mom. Close

El dolor de una madre...  / Ileana Ignacio Rattaro's Mom (Mary's friend )
Querida Mary, encontré este texto que a mi criterio explica textualmente lo que sentimos. Espero te guste...

Me vas a ver sonreir,
lo que no vas a verme es gritar detrás de esa sonrisa.

Me vas a ver trabajando, yendo de compras o simplemente viviendo en general,
lo que no vas a verme es poner ni una milésima parte de mi energía, solo puede respirar.

Me vas a ver solo con mis pensamientos,
lo que no vas a verme es hablar con él.
Me vas a verme diciendo "Estoy bien",
lo que no vas a ver es el inmenso agujero de mi corazón que nunca podrá llenarse.

Me vas a mirar y a pensar "ella está volviendo a la normalidad,
lo que no vas a ver es que ya nada será normal para mi.

Me vas a mirar y a pensar "Oh Dios, ojalá esto nunca me suceda a mi",
lo que no vas a ver es que cuanto más cerca tuyo esté, más me entenderás... aunque yo también espero que nunca te suceda a vos.

Me vas a ver haciendo bromas o riéndome con otros y pensar "Ella ya ha superado todo lo que le pasó",
lo que no vas a ver es que NUNCA podré olvidar, uno nunca supera la muerte de un hijo.

Me vas a ver triste, sin saber que hacer o decir para hacerme seguir adelante,
lo que no vas a ver es que lo yo realmente necesito es que estés.

Lo que vas a ver es que la vida continua,
lo que no vas a ver es que a partir del 18 de Marzo de 2007, la vida que yo tenia NUNCA más será la misma.

Me vas a ver fuerte... no te engañes,
lo que no vas a ver es que estoy debil y cansada. La mayor parte de los dias estoy a tan solo 1 metro del abismo.

Lo que vas a ver es una máscara, una mentira,
la máscara te ayuda a lidiar conmigo y a su vez me ayuda a mi a lidiar conmigo misma.

Me vas a verme hablar de este insoportable y cruel dolor,
lo que no vas a ver es que ese insoportable y cruel dolor es el que me impide respirar.

Me vas a ver desesperada,
lo que no vas a verme es gritar al cielo y a Dios que me devuelva a mi hijo.

Todo lo que no puedas ver nunca lo entenderás, a menos que camines solamente unos metros adentro de MIS zapatos.


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Circunstancias de la vida.....  / Ileana Ignacio Rattaro's Mom (Mary's friend )
Querido Andre,  Siento mucho haberte conocido en estas circunstancias. me hubiera gustado conocerte antes de ese tragico dia, estoy segura, por lo poco que se de vos, que te hubieras llevado muy bien con mi hijos, en especial con Ignacio, aunque no me caben dudas de que vos y él se juntan a diario para hacer alguna que otra travesura. No dejes nunca de guiar a tu mamá, ella te necesita como nadie puede imaginarse, necesita saberte cerca para poder seguir adelante.

Ileana. Close

Your Mother's Birthday  / Auntie Grace
Hi Andre,  your Mom's birthday is coming up in a few days and she is having a hard time because you are not here with her to celebrate.  Please help us find a way to cheer her up.  We know she will never be the same because she lost the love of her life (YOU) but we want her to know we are here for her. She is not alone during this difficult time in her life.   Her family loves her and we worry about her.   I know you wish the same for her Andre and I know you are watching over her right now.  She needs you more than ever Andre. 

We miss you Andre and we wish you were her with us now. Please watch over your Mom.  We love you! Close

Reminising your good times at Santa Barbara  / Mary Your Mom
Dear Andre I had a good visit with Sarah this weekend.  Spending time with Sarah makes me feel close to you.   Visiting the places we used to go eat and where we used to stay made me happy but also sad   that we will never be together again.   I miss you and love you.

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What Makes A Mother?  / Jemily Mojarro (passerby)
You don't know me but I am Graciela's (Michael's mom) sister and I often find myself thinking about you and your beloved son.  I found a beautiful poem and I wanted to share it with on this sad day.


What Makes A Mother?

I thought of you and closed my eyes
and prayed to God today
I asked "What makes a Mother?"
and I know I heard Him say

"A Mother has a baby"
This we know is true
"But, God, can you be a Mother
When your baby's not with you?"
"Yes, you can" He replied
With confidence in His voice
"I give many women babies
When they leave is not their choice

Some I send for a lifetime
And others for a day
And some I send to feel your womb
But there's no need to stay"

"I just don't understand this, God
I want my baby here"
He took a breath and cleared His throat
And then I saw a tear

"I wish that I could show you
What your child is doing today
If you could see your child smile
With other children and say

'We go to Earth to learn our lessons
Of love and life and fear
My Mommy loved me oh so much
I got to come straight here.

I feel so lucky to have a Mom
Who had so much love for me
I learned my lesson very quickly
My Mommy set me free

I miss my Mommy oh so much
But I visit her each day
When she goes to sleep
On her pillow's where I lay

I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek
And whisper in her ear
Mommy, don't be sad today
I'm your baby and I'm here'

"So you see my dear sweet one
Your children are okay
Your babies are in My home
And this is where they'll stay

They'll wait for you with Me
Until our lesson is through
And on the day that you come home
They'll be at the gates for you

So now you see what makes a Mother
It's the feeling in your heart
It's the love you had so much of
Right from the very start

Though some on Earth may not realize
you are a Mother
Until their time is done
They'll be up here with Me one day
And know you're the best one!"

Author unknown
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Mother's Day will never be the same  / Mary Your Mom
Andre:   I said a prayer for you today at church.   I miss you going to church with me.  This was one of the day you would attend church to make me happy.  Please say hello to my Mom and tell her I love her and miss her.   I know she is happy having you with her.  Love Mom. Close

Candelight Vigil Today  / Mary Your Mom
Dear Andre:  We'll have a Candelight Rememberance for all the Angels that were murdered.   Hope you see us and hear our prayers.  Love  Your Mom Close

Happy Easter  / Mary Your Mom
Dear Andre, You are now with our Lord celebrating Easter.  Watch over us.  Love your mom. Close

Continue looking  / Mary Your Mom
Hi Andre, I'm looking into other ways to find the people that murder you.   I will do whatever it takes to find them.   The reward is up to $45,000.00.    I'm working on making it higher.    I miss you and love you so much.   Close

I Will Never Give Up!  / Mary Your Mom

Dear Andre:   I continue talking to the police every week pushing to get the people that killed you.  I will never stop until we find them.   That is a promise to you.  I love you and miss you more each day.  Love  Mom 

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To my beloved Andre  / Mary Your Mom

Happy Valentine's Day!  You will always be the love of my life.

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