For Mickie

[Renate]

I left for these holydays with a sad heart. I had to fear the worst news while I am away.

And then they came right in the moment, when I was sitting under the splendid Tuscan sun watching the marvelous blue Tyrrenian Sea.

It has been right here about one year ago, where I had seen you for the last time where now my cellphone rang to let me get to know, what I was so afraid to get to know.

I've lost my friend Mickie.
You died the other night.

My ears heard what has been God's will, while my eyes were staring at one of God's most wonderful creations.

In this moment, when the cruel news reached me, I was looking exactly at what you loved so much also.

We wanted to meet here again.
Now we have to change plans.

Mickie, though it may be hard to imagine any place more beautiful than this one under the Tuscan skies, I am sure you found it now.

This place here at the Tyrrenian sea however will be filled with memories of your for all time, as well as will be all the places in the world where we met during these past 8 years of precious friendship, as well as will be every page of Bocelli.de and many topics on this forum and all the thousands of mails that we exchanged, funny ones, sad ones, thoughtful ones, busy ones..... thousands of them...

Mickie, your spirit is everywhere here, although you may have left this earth.

I post this message for you and for all the other Bocelli fans right here on Andrea's forum, because it belongs here.

The fact that you have gone is of common interest for all the Bocelli fans. If there wasn't you, who knows if there would be any Bocelli websites at all. ... who knows?

In any case not in such a quality and quantity as they exist now. Since the early common days at Bocelli.net together we got a stone rolling, slowly though. Without your persisting enouragement I think I would have given up a million times.

Later maybe I will tell the whole story in order to make also the last one understand what you mean to me, to all your friends and the to the whole Bocelli cyberworld.

But for now as so often before just lets hug and say
"Time to say Good-bye".

So far we always met again.

a presto Amica
Renate

[Francesca]

Non so cosa dire....stavo proprio pensando a Mickie perché facevo la mia lista di indirizzo email.

Ricordo la serata a Bologna dove io e mia nuora abbiamo parlato con Mickie, i messaggi scambiati a proposito delle traduzioni che facevamo insieme. Senza di lei bocelli.de non sarà mai più lo stesso.

Penso a te Renate, perché so quanto ti era carissima questa amica. Speriamo che in un mondo migliore potrete ritrovarvi.

Scrivendo non posso fare altro che piangere.

A presto amica Mickie !

Francesca

[Francesca]

Ce commentaire, écrit par Mickie après Werther(nous en avions parlé ensemble), est resté dans ma mémoire :

https://lnx.andreabocelli.org/Gold/viewt ... 95&start=0

[csoda]

Rest in Peace

[sam]

Mi dispiace tanto sentire questa triste notizia, ma spero che Mickie avra' trovato un mondo migliore di quello che noi viviamo, e Renate lo so che e' difficile accettare quello che e' accaduto; sappiamo che bocelli.de non sara' lo stesso senza Mickie ma abbiamo le belle memorie di Mickie e di tutte le sue traduzione, noi non la dimenticheremo mai!

Sam

[sofia]

This is really very sad news......may she rest in peace,and everybody here will allways remember Mickie.
Also this is a very sad for Renate.
Thank you so much for everything that you did for us.

[kbarham]

Mickie you will be missed so much especially by your family and close friend Renate. Thank you Mickie for being who you were and still are in our hearts and mind. Thinking of your family and Renate. Sadness indeed in your passing away. May you rest in peace Mickie. Love from all your Bocelli Friends.

[jed]

The Bocelli community has lost a great friend whose spirit will follow us
always. My thoughts and prayers are with her framily and dear friends.
I will never read a translation of an article on Andrea without thinking of her.

[Cami McNamee]

Carissimi,

The night Mickie died I sat outside on the front porch watching the gorgeous full moon work its way up the sky. We always had a full moon at Torre del lago. We had one a year ago when we were together there—exactly one year ago, I think. And I sat trying to absorb the reality that we had lost her.

Then I realized that it was not true. Not gone. There will never be a thought of Italy, or Andrea, or opera, or translations, or a thousand other topics we shared and reveled in nearly every day that will not bring Mickie to mind. I grieve this loss for all of us…most acute for her family, of course. But Mickie has begun a new journey, and she at peace. She remains firmly in our minds and hearts.

Un abbraccio forte per tutti.

Cami

[Melodie]

Mickie was one of the first people I ever communicated with when I discovered the "internet world" of Bocelli. We shared a lot of thoughts, information - and she was kind enough to yell at me when I needed it.

Over these past few years, I've tried to keep my internet acquaintances at a distance, but I'm not always successful. I now find myself sitting here in tears because of the enormous loss that we're all sharing. I had hoped to meet her one day so I could thank her personally.

Mickie's work on behalf of Andrea and his fans was extraordinary...the time and the effort...the love she had for Andrea that compelled her to work as hard as she did can never be questioned. Renate, you're right when you say "who knows?".

Thank you, Mickie. We'll miss you.

Melodie

[Astrid]

Mickie, I miss you...
Till to the last minute I was hoping for a wonder to bring you back to your family and to us.

Over many years of dear friendship we have spent so many beautiful vacations together, filled with innumerable Andrea-events, concerts, opera evenings all over the world. These are unforgettable memories. Not to mention the thousands of emails, daily, and not only one a day, to speak about everything or to discuss translation problems..

You will always remain in my heart. Ciao.

Astrid

[Winnie]

Dear Mickie,

I will miss you. I never met you except in your postings and translations and through a few e-mails, but you are important to me for your vibrant personality, talents, and dear soul.

Seven years ago last night, you were at Andrea's first Philadelphia concert. I was there, too, and so especially loved your concert report. I remember that Andrea and Ana Maria Martinez sang "The Merry Widow Waltz." You had asked Andrea to sing that piece and wrote on Bo.net of your pleasure when he did. He was singing for you then; he is singing for you now and forever. Mickie, we, your many fans, join in on the choruses to honor you.

Winnie

Renate, I am sad for your loss. Your words of tribute are beautiful.

[Suzan]

I didn't know Mickie personally, yet I sit here with tears in my eyes. I knew Mickie because of Andrea and thus through my appreciation for her tireless work bringing us news of him, for her sense of humour and her common sense.

I would like to send my condolences to her family and her particular friend Renate. They will always have the love they felt for Mickie deep in their hearts. That love cannot be taken away from them and I hope will bring comfort in the days ahead.

Mickie, I am quite sure, now rests in peace.


Suzan

[Lorna]

I am so sorry to read this sad news and I send my deepest sympathy to all of Mickie's family and friends. Special thoughts to you Renate.

I met you only briefly at Torre del Lago Mickie, during the interval of Tosca last year. I am glad I did.

[Ann-Marie]

It is with a heavy heart that I type these words. I did not know Mickie personally but did appreciate all her work on the Bocelli site(s). My prayers go out to her family and friends and to all who came to know her on line.
May she rest in peace for all of eternity.
Ann-Marie

[westsiderny]

Love Lives On
by Amanda Bradley

Those we love
are never really lost to us--
we feel them
in so many special ways--
through friends
they always cared about
and dreams they left behind,
in beauty that they added to our days...
in words of wisdom
we still carry with us
and memories that never will be gone...
Those we love
are never really lost to us--
for everywhere their special love
lives on.


I was lucky to meet Mickie here in New York a few years ago. I know she loved and admired Andrea very much and she wasn't an egoist person because thanks to her, I was able to shake hands with him (a dream of many of his fans, I know). I didn't ask her to introduce me, but she wanted him to know that I was with her in the event we were attending, something that no other fans close to him I know will ever dare to do (they want Andrea only for themselves and I don't blame them for that). To me, that said a lot about her generosity and integrity. I will also always remember when she scolded me for arriving late at the event... We were making time at my apartment but I was having a "bad hair day" and I told her to go ahead and I will join her in a while. To my surprise, she was outside, at the door, waiting for me. Only Mickie could do that for me. She had a great sense of humor too. We will all miss having her around.

Renate, I can understand how you feel, but I know she is in a better, safer, more beautiful place, smiling down on you, thanking you for your love and friendship. May the time ease your sorrow and surround you with comforting memories.

Nellie

[Tina]

Dearest Renate, i can only try to understand what heartache it is for you and for Mickies close friends and family at this time. May i give my sincere condolences.
I was lucky enough to meet Mickie in TDL twice, and this time last year we were sitting outside the Teatro in the interval, enjoying a cigarette.
Such memories i have shared with Mickie over the years, there was nobody as devoted to her work for Andrea and all the fans from all over the world as she was. The threesome, Mickie, Astrid, and Renate, are now just two, Bocelli.de will never be the same without Mickie.
"Eternal rest, give unto Mickie O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her, may she rest in peace, Amen".

[sandy dee korkusuz]

Dearest Renate

The loss of a best friend can feel so lonely, but knowing what I know ,

you may very well be the one to awake her at the ressurection, where you surely will meet again , and this time it will be FOREVER.

May peace live in your heart.
sandy

[Cristiana]

God Bless you, Mickie, and your friends and family. I didn't know you personally, but I know of your efforts on behalf of Andrea and you will be GREATLY missed!

I'm so sorry for everyone's loss of this wonderful lady, and will keep you all in my prayers.

[Motoko]

How can I accept this saddest news? Mickie was a very energetic person. We were often surprised at how fast her English translations were posted on Bocelli.de. Thanks to her, we were able to get a lot of information about Andrea in English. I was sure that she would come back here with a big smile.

My English translations from some Japanese magazines are on Bocelli.de. Mickie was kind enough to correct my English. I didn't meet her in person but she was a good friend of mine.

Mickie, we'll never forget you. Your heart is still here, always with us.

Motoko

[sara]

Such sad news.... my heart and prayers go out to Mickie's family and her many friends. She did so much for all Bocelli fans....

[Signora Innamorata]

Renate and all of the family and friends of Mickie, my arms reach out to hug you. I am heartfully sorry for your heart wrenching loss. I never knew Mickie, but I did know that she was cherished, loved and respected by a very large group of family friends and to each of you left behind, my sincere sympathies and gentle hugs, to one and all.

Mickie, may you take the joy and warmth of Andrea, and all of your personal beautiful memories in life to Heaven with you.

[Janice]

I never know what to say in cases like this. I had an enormous amount of respect for Mickie's generous spirit and the incredible work she did for Andrea's fans everywhere. I was looking forward to the big cyberspace party we'd all have on her return. My prayers will go out to her family, Renate, and those others who were lucky enough to call her friend. She will be greatly missed.

[Francesca]

« La mort n'est rien, je suis seulement passé dans la pièce à côté.
Je suis moi. Vous êtes vous.
Ce que j'étais pour vous, je le suis toujours.
Donnez-moi le nom que vous m'avez toujours donné, parlez-moi comme vous l'avez toujours fait. N'employez pas un ton différent, ne prenez pas un air solennel ou triste.
Continuez à rire de ce qui nous faisait rire ensemble.
Priez, souriez, pensez à moi, priez pour moi.
Que mon nom soit prononcé à la maison comme il l'a toujours été, sans emphase d'aucune sorte, sans une trace d'ombre.
La vie signifie tout ce qu'elle a toujours été. Le fil n'est pas coupé.
Pourquoi serais-je hors de vos pensées, simplement parce que je suis hors de votre vue!
Je ne suis pas loin, juste de l'autre côté du chemin. »

Saint Augustin

[Wilma]

These sorrowful moments make life stand still. I did not know Mickie but feel I know her now, reflected here in the deep sentiments of friends left behind. She has had a successful life, no matter how short or how long it may have been, for it appears that everyone who knew her was enriched in some way.