I have four children whose ages are spaced so far apart, that I still feel as though I have a pretty small family.

My Mother was one of seven children - she was the “middle child” and often expressed the complaints of that fate in the pecking order of family life. I always envied my cousins who were all part of big families as well. My brother and I always seemed lost at family gatherings.

The idea of Maggie and Luke having additional brothers or sisters sometimes enters my mind, usually when they are sound asleep in that angelic state familiar to any parent who has ever checked in on their kids before going to bed. Mary Beth is always quick to bring me back to reality, and the thought passes as we collapse into bed after a night of chasing two rug rats around the house.

But big families are nice because you have people that can share your life, and the chance of winding up alone never crosses your mind.

We have a former player named Nick Siano who is now a red-shirt sophomore at Indian River CC. Nick spent the 2004 season here as our bullpen catcher. After last fall, I called him in and said his chances to play were slim. Coach Mac got him a tryout with Coach Easom, and Nick was off to play for IRCC.

Nick was from West Boca, and his Dad was happy when he was here at FAU so they could be together. Nick had lost his older brother to a heart problem, and then tragically, his Mother and younger brother died within a year or two of each other. But Mr. Siano understood that his son wanted to play ball and fully supported the move up to Indian River.

Today, we learned from Coach Easom that Mr. Siano passed away yesterday from a heart attack.

Nick is alone.

Coach Mac remembers Nick talking about a relative in this area, but we don’t know much more, except that a 21-year-old kid is trying to deal with organizing a funeral, cleaning out his Dad’s apartment and wondering what happens next in his life.

We’ve always felt that our program is like a family. Now’s the time to pray for one of your own.

KC

(photo courtesy of FAU Media Relations Office)