This time of my life is filled with choices. Each day I assume various roles and through my choices, experience a richness of living. This blog is for me, to capture my life!
Today is the morning after the night before! I am still on a bit of a
high after experiencing a most rewarding and joyful day. Yesterday,
the Stanley Cup, awarded to the Los Angeles Kings as 2012 National Hockey League Champions, came to visit my son,
Michael's, home. As a senior member of the Kings' staff he was entitled
to have the Cup in his possession (with its two handlers) from 4 pm to 11 pm
yesterday. He could use his time anyway he chose. And being Michael,
he created the most gracious and generous way possible.
Previous posts have told Michael's story...how he has been a loyal,
dedicated member of the Kings' staff for over 17 years...how winning the
Stanley Cup has been his dream. So now, having the Cup in his home was icing
on the cake.
Michael, with the Stanley Cup in his home!
Michael, his wife Milli and his son Gabriel, chose to share their block of
time with all the family and friends who have supported them during their
life and careers, and with their neighbors, and the community.
The first hour was just for family and
friends close enough to be considered family. We had our time to revel
in this accomplishment. Michael thanked us for supporting him.
Michael welcoming and thanking family and close friends.
Gabriel made a speech thanking the team and his dad and presented his
dad with a Certificate of Appreciation. Here is the video of that:
At
6 pm Michael began to welcome all guests. Mike and Milli opened their
home to over 300 people...and by the time one friend told another
acquaintance they ended up with about 500 people who walked up their
side walkway into their backyard to see, touch, even kiss the Stanley
Cup and have their pictures taken with it. They allowed guests to make freewill donations to the Kings Care Foundation for the privilege of taking the photo so in another way they are sharing it with others.
Jay and I stood in front to welcome people and direct them to the
backyard. It was wonderful to watch people walk up the street wearing
their Kings' jerseys.
One family, originally from Canada, brought their
children blind-folded to surprise them with being able to see the REAL
Stanley Cup.
Michael notified the Hawthorne Police Department of the
event and invited them to drive by in case there were crowd issues but
to also stop by to view Stanley! And many of them did...bringing their
own jerseys bearing their favorite athlete's name and number.
A few of Hawthorne's finest!
The atmosphere in the backyard was so upbeat and positive. They served their guests
appetizers, sliders, small desserts and beverages.
The Slider Buffet table
People mingled...old friends reunited...new friends were made. People took photos for each other. They reminisced and told stories. I had a chance to see so many of the young men who are my adopted sons that in their youth ate many times at our family table!
Patricia with Michael, Mike Pedersen, son Marc, John Meadows, grandson Nik.
Over the past few months I have come to a greater appreciation of
the sport of hockey and a great respect for the LA Kings organization.
Other sports win Super Bowls or World Series, with their individual year trophy or ring,
but the NHL has ONE Stanley Cup that is given year after year to the
champion team. That one cup symbolizes the entire sport. It carries the hopes, dreams, and accomplishments of 120 years of hockey playing and to be with it, allows you to be present to that heritage. The Kings have
gone out of their way to share the Cup with the Los Angeles Community.
Local papers show "Stanley" at LA Children's Hospital, schools, camps,
fire stations, parks. Anytime someone sees the cup and asks, they can
have their picture taken with it. Michael even took the cup to his
disabled Aunt and Uncle, who could not leave their home, so they could
see it, touch it and have their picture taken with it.
Cathy and Karl with Michael and "Stanley
That is what the Stanley Cup
is all about.
But Michael was my pride last night. He is such a generous spirit. Even in the midst of all of this, the one aspect that gave him the most joy was sharing it with his wife and son.
Milli, Gabriel and Michael
Today he said to me..."I am so blessed, Mom. I have the most wonderful wife and the most fantastic son. Did you see Gabriel yesterday...did you see his eyes all lit up...did you see how alive he was!"
There are traditions associated with the Cup. Everyone wants to hoist it into the air, but that is really only a privilege that the players and staff have earned. Everyone wants to drink from it, but for security reasons, the handlers do not permit viewers to do that. You can touch, you can hug, you can kiss it.
Gabe's first kiss not to a family member!
But that is all. However, Michael got a special permission from the handlers to allow him to do one special thing before the Cup left the Altieri home. He held the Cup while his son drank Sprite from the Cup...what a memory to give a little 10 year old hockey fan!
Mike helping Gabriel drink Sprite from the Stanley Cup!
So the Stanley Cup left last night to continue its journey to Russia.
All packed up and ready to go!
For the next 100 days it will travel the world visiting the homes of families of the Kings' players. But the Cup will return...Gabriel is already predicting a back-to-back win next year. From his lips to God's ears!
As for us, in the 13 years that Jay and I have been married, we have never sent out a Photo Christmas card. Maybe this year will be the first!
"Who AM I?" I sometimes ask myself. One of the first words that pops into my head is, "Mother." This role often dominates my self image. Bearing and raising three sons, each so unique, each different, has brought into my life some of my richest joys and some of my deepest pains. Nothing hurts a mother as much as watching her child hurting and not being able to do anything about it. Nothing fills a mother's being as much as watching her child rejoicing and being privileged to stand on the sidelines and feel her own heart and eyes spill over.
Michael Anthony Altieri is my second son. Born just 15 months after his older brother, Joey, when I was a mere 23 years old, I wondered how I was going to handle life and these two little ones. But fortune smiled on me...because from the day he graced this earth, Michael demonstrated the qualities that would guide his life. He was the easiest child...capable, considerate, conscientious...a child that captured your heart.
It was impossible to grow up in our household and not be a sports fan. Like his brothers, he played sports, collected trading cards, had posters of his heroes (like Wayne Gretsky) on the wall, even cut school to attend a special sporting event! When he was a Communications Major at Long Beach State University he decided that the life path that would make him happiest was to take his skills and find a way to use them in the Sports Industry. A meeting and subsequent internship with John Black (PR Director for the LA Lakers) and a first job from Jeannie Buss as PR Director for the LA Blades Roller Hockey team, set him on the path for his current position as Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting for AEG Sports. In time, Michael advanced through the organization and I would often be in a position to see him in his role dealing with co-workers, players, and management and what was so apparent was that Michael continued to be an older version of the child I knew...capable, considerate, conscientious...well-respected by all who worked with him.
Michael working a Kings game at the Forum.
Michael was never one to call attention to himself or to toot his own horn...(his job was to toot the horn for others)...but he knew that as a mother I wanted to share in his special moments. So occasionally I would quietly receive an email picture from him just to let me know that:
He had to handle a Press conference and someone snapped this photo:
Press Conference - 2005
He had to participate in the NHL draft and someone snapped this photo:
NHL Draft - 2003
He happened to have an extra team photo with him at the end of the second row that I might like:
Would I like to sponsor him in the Beard-a-thon?:
He had to respond to some media questions and someone captured the video:
He had to accompany the LA Galaxy to meet the President and someone snapped this photo of him shaking the president's hand:
President Obama reaching for Michael's hand.
And as a typical mother, I treasured these mementos as much as I did the school drawings that used to don my refrigerator door.
I asked him once to tell me his approach that helped him do so well in his job and he replied, "Mom, no matter what happens, I always try to take the high road." That describes his approach to not just his professional life, but to life in general. That is what my son has taught ME.
Over the years Michael has had other opportunities to move about in the
industry, but after considering the pros and cons he always remained
where he was, a part of the LA Kings family. He would say how he loved
the team, how he believed in them, how he wanted to be with them when
they won their first Stanley Cup because he knew they would do it. This
year his loyalty paid off. The Kings captured the Stanley Cup and Michael was immersed in all of it, competently handling his responsibility while reveling in the victory.
Embracing Jonathan Quick after the Stanley Cup WIN!
The Team Photo taken after the Final Game of the Stanley Cup Play-offs
Culmination of 17 years...lifting the Stanley Cup!!!
I was fortunate to be able to attend a few of the play-off games and to participate in the Black Parade and victory Rally the team provided for all their loyal fans. I watched him interacting with the press and team, I watched him share his joy with those who mean the most to him, his family...Milli and Gabriel.
Michael with Milli and Gabriel at the Fan Rally
Michael enjoying a special moment with Gabriel at the rally.
I was a mother....sharing his moment, standing on the sidelines and watching...as my heart and my eyes spilled over.
While I am not a particularly sports-minded person, by virtue of having 3 sons, sports have always been a part of my life. Working in the snack stands, washing grass-stained uniforms, bringing treats for the team was all in a day's work. Whether it was football, baseball, basketball or golf I took my place in the stands and loudly cheered while whispering little prayers that their team would win.
Today, many years later, I again found myself sitting in the stands cheering for one of their teams. My second son, Michael, has been a part of the Los Angeles King's Hockey staff for many years and I have had the pleasure of attending my share of games as a spectator, but today's game was special because the Kings were hoping to "sweep" the second round of play-off games...this round against the St. Louis Blues...in their attempt to ultimately capture the 2012 Stanley Cup. Hockey games are always exciting and hockey fans are a rare, avid breed. We reached the Staples Center in downtown LA well before the noon game so we could wander around LA Live and see all the pre-game activity.
LA Live is the Sports and Entertainment District that has been created around the Staples Center and the Nokia Theater. It was filled with people getting into the play-off spirit, wearing King jerseys and other emblems of their team loyalty...even purple hair!
Kids were playing street hockey,
Luc Robitaille's son was entertaining with his band,
Jay even got to check out the new hybrid plug-in Prius on display.
The entire family supports the Kings and I was happy to see Joey who had driven up from San Diego with his buddy Nick to attend the game.
Nick and Joey
Gabriel, a die-hard King and Hockey fan, was sitting with his Uncle Marc.
Gabriel with Marc
Once in our seats Michael came to see us.
Michael sporting his beard!
He, like the Kings' players and other staff members, is participating in a Beardathon...growing a beard throughout the playoffs and getting sponsors to contribute to the Kings Care Charity for their efforts. Being a good Mom I supported this activity, just like I supported his jogathons when he was a young boy!
The game was fantastic and began immediately with the King's scoring a goal.
For the entire three periods the Kings were never behind and at the end, with the crowd going wild, the Kings did it, they won 3 - 1, sweeping the round by winning the first 4 games of the series and knocking out the first and second seeded teams in their conference.
Even Jay was excited!
Next they will advance to the Western Conference Finals.
It was a lively day and an exciting game. I cheered hard, I waved my King's towel and I even whispered a little prayer during the tense last 2 minutes. While I was happy for the Kings, I have to admit that I was happier for Michael. A mom always wants her son's team to win!
This weekend my grandson, Gabriel, brought his ice hockey season to a close. Gabe is almost 10 years old and has loved hockey since he was a toddler
Gabe with his first skates and stick!
and has been on ice skates since he was 3 years old. When he was three he took to the ice with Daryl Evans as his coach.
Milli carrying Gabriel out to the ice when he was 3.
Little Gabe on the ice with his dad and Daryl.
The fact that his dad works for the LA Kings may have something to do with it, but this boy loves hockey. He knows all the players (his favorite is Anze Kopitar!),
Gabe and Anze Kopitar
He follows the activities of the team, the trades and the player injuries. He spends hours every week on the computer maintaining the stats for the King's team. For the past few years he has participated in the LA Jr. Kings teams. He plays games every weekend and we rarely miss a game.
Gabriel's dad and uncles grew up very involved in youth sports. Whether it was Jr. All American Football, Little League Baseball or Golf they attended the practices and played in the games and I spent many hours as a young mother at practice fields in the evening and putting in my hours in the snack stands during the games. While I know that there are many who think that organized youth sports put too much pressure on kids to perform, my experience is that these activities give youngster an outlet for all their energy, teach them the ways of working as part of a team, and help them develop physical skills and a sense of personal confidence.
His team, the Gold Kings, won this season's championship. This was Gabe's second championship win. His first was last year when he was on the Black Kings.
Gabe with his dad, Michael, Uncle Joey, Poppa and Uncle Marc
Gabe with his grandmother, Lola
Gabe with Mima!
Today, Gabe had a great game, he made the first goal and got an assist...and a large part of the family was there to cheer his team.
The family in the stands...parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins!
The games provide an opportunity to bring the family together to surround that boy in their support and love. Gabe always has a "fan club" at all his games and he knows that his family is proud of him.
When my sons were growing up, we lived in a typical suburban neighborhood. When they came home from school, they could go out to play. They just had to be home in time for dinner. They could safely ride their bikes to the local park and play on their own. They could walk to school on their own. They made friends with the other children in the area and traipsed through each other's houses and yards. That is not Gabriel's experience. He also lives in a typical suburban neighborhood, but parents do not allow their children to wander the streets without an adult. Since he has no siblings, his parents make great efforts to arrange for play dates with friends from school to make sure he has all the interaction he can with children his age. The world is different now. Organized sports is one way for young children to interact with other children in a safe environment.
Gabe with his teammates before taking the ice.
Gabe played well today. He was fully alive on the ice. He played with his head and heart. I am a very proud grandmother!
