Since Tuesday, we have been living through our worst nightmare. Our perfect, beautiful 2 year old little boy, Gabriel Isaac, drowned in our swimming pool. The story was on the news and a internet search of his name, Gabriel Anzalone, will bring up the article. The only thing keeping me from spiraling down into the pit of utter despair is our faith that this must have been God’s will and that a 2 year old in incapable of sin. His radiant soul was unblemished and probably bounded up to heaven much like Tigger.
I cannot adequately put into words the horror I experienced seeing his body on the pool floor or the frantic, breathless praying I did while trying to rescusitate him while looking into his already dilated eyes and forcing foamy water out of his blue mouth. It hit me so hard to see that little body covered with a sheet in the ER before the priest blessed it.
My other children, ages 9, 7, and 5 don’t quite understand the gravity of what happened. I should mention that we are also expecting our fifth baby in June. I find myself hoping it is a girl because I am afraid I would be looking for similarities to Gabriel in a little boy-or even be disappointed if they weren’t there.
I have been trying to follow my priest’s counsel and pray to my new saint. I wanted to ask you to pray for us, too. We are traveling the next three days for his burial in the family plot.
I wish I could share with you how extraordinary this little guy was. At three weeks, he played the starring role in the parish Christmas play- baby Jesus. He LOVED to sing, jump, dance, run, etc. He was larger than life. He was still nursing-though we were getting ready to try to minimize that for the new baby. He slept with me at night and slept on my chest at naptime. What a blessing that has turned out to be.
Again, please pray for peace in our hearts and souls.
Thank you.