james

...doing his best james dean

Pitt times...

 

Spring Break~Myrtle Beach

Just chillin... 

air time

those eyes!

Just Jim!

 

Fun times at Pitt!

 

...s'up J

a favorite picture! 

At the site

This plaque is at the site of the accident...It is a photo of Jim and his niece Teah shadowed by a beautiful picture of Jim walking on the beach in St. Pete's. 

Jimmy's Memorial in Florida...

This is the Memorial marker that was placed at the site by the state of Florida. His uncles Jim and Mark went down the day after the accident and placed Crosses at the site; I went down in mid-October and placed a garland of roses on the marker as well as a plaque with his photo.

A great sign...

I was hoping I would come upon a sign or two....and I did! 

...on the beach!

The "heart" shell and coral "J" found me on Bonita Beach in Florida! 

...another little sign!

I visited the Florida site in mid-October and found this large piece of melted metal that was never removed from the area. Note the heart to the right of the shells I gathered and the "J" to the right of the heart. 

Another heart!

This is the other half of the large piece of melted metal from the accident site. In March, right after the accident, I walked along the guardrail and I remember seeing this laying on the side of the road in the sand. When I went there a week ago I looked again and this time saw a little hole melted in the shape of a perfect heart. Hearts are a clear sign that I very often get from Jim when I am thinking of him! I moved the metal back to the very site near his marker!

Spring Break!

This was taken in Myrtle Beach....Jim went down one spring break with Creature and friends...and they met up with Ashley and her family! The photos show that a great time was had by everyone!

I asked Tim to help write something for the Bulldog hockey program about Jimmy.... and I wanted to share what he wrote.

Through the early morning fog that peacefully floats above the fresh ice comes a familiar figure, in red, black, and white skates Jimmy Amato, happily leaving his mark on the clean surface. With every crack his blades made, and every determined breath he took, it was easy to realize that there was nowhere else that this caring, respectful team leader would rather be. As Jimmy’s second home, the hockey rink was a place to forget the outside world, meet his teammates, and just skate, pass, and shoot. Just as Jimmy left the cracks in the ice from every stride, he left an indelible impression on all around him whether it was on the ice or in the locker room. Jimmy will always be remembered as one of the hardest working, unselfish, and unwavering team players that wanted nothing more than to be the leader. Russell James Marco Amato continues to be an example for all hockey players now and those to come, the determined captain, and loving friend. It is because of these qualities that the cuts in the ice from Jimmy’s skates will never be forgotten, and why Jimmy’s legacy, number 24, will remain at his second home, and in our hearts always as a loving member of the Bulldog Hockey Family.

~Tim Newhook

Jim and Creature Matt!

The boys were snowboarding at Seven Springs this past January...it looks like a perfect day!

Memory Garden @ the Rink

This is Jimmy's bench that was placed at the Meadville Rec Complex in a Memory Garden honoring Jimmy and two other Meadville Bulldog hockey players, Lenny Myers & Shawn Harbaugh. A tree was also planted for each player.

This is another view of the memory garden with two of banners which are hanging in the rink.

Amato #24

A picture of Jimmy's banner

Bulldog Hockey Season Opener

Monday, October 10, 2005 - five former Bulldog Hockey players were honored when their numbers were retired at the 2005-2006 Bulldog season opener. Shawn Harbaugh, Lenny Myers, and Jimmy passed away this year.

This is another picture of the banners hanging in the rink 

Quotes

I was thinking of Jim last night (what else is new!) and stumbled on this wonderful website of quotes and poems and thoughts on losing someone you love. My first thought was to bypass it since I was already feeling a bit blue but I opened the link anyway and was amazed at how many wonderful things I found. These are just two but so many seemed to convey what I haven't been able to put into words. Some made me cry and some made me think really hard but all of them reminded me of just how very much I love my Jimmy....and how much he loved us.

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,
but rather openings
where our loved ones shine down
to let us know
they are happy.

-Eskimo Legend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hold on to what is good
even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe
even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do
even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life
even when it is easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand
even when I have gone away from you.

-Pueblo Blessing