01-01-2018, 07:44 AM
A wonderful tribute from Dave's brother Paulie,
Well, 2017 is almost over. It started out great actually and then quickly became the worst year of my life when I lost my brother and best friend David on July 14th. This past week was especially hard because it was the first holiday season without him. Normally around this time I would go with my family to see David perform with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was always a very proud moment for us. TSO sent my family a bunch of tickets to this year’s show and had a tribute planned for David. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to go because it would be too hard, but my parents wanted to go and I knew I had to be there with them and for them.
The show was great as it always is, but you can definitely feel something missing. It was so hard to watch and not see David up there doing his thing. He was such a force of nature with a huge presence. For the most part I was fine, but when they played Sarajevo, the most well known TSO song, I lost it. I soon realized that my brother and my parents had lost it too so we were all a mess, but at least we were together. It was a very painful experience, but we were with a group of very close friends and family and their love and support helped us get through it. Thank you guys.
David started playing with TSO about 18 years ago so it’s been a major part of his life. That gig opened many doors which would allow David to realize his dream of being a Rock Star. TSO has been extremely kind to our family and very generous as well. For example, on Tuesday right before the show, it was announced that TSO will be donating $10,553 to the David Z Fund! It was a very touching moment and so greatly appreciated. For all the above and more I would like to say a big THANK YOU to TSO for everything you’ve done for David and the whole Z Family.
With this in mind and the year coming to an end I felt the urge to create a video tribute of David’s life set to the tune of TSO’s Prince of Peace. I chose to sing this song for a few reasons: 1) it’s my favorite TSO song 2) it reminds me of when I first saw David on stage with TSO and how he and I both got goosebumps hearing Daryl Pediford sing this song (he too passed away many years ago) and 3) David was one of the most peaceful and beautiful human beings I ever knew which makes him a real life "prince of peace" in my book. Anyone who knew him well knows this to be true.
As I move into 2018 I choose to use David’s memory as a source of happiness and inspiration and I encourage you all to do the same. He and I shared the same motto: “you can’t control what happens to you, only how you react.” Let’s react by keeping David in our hearts, remembering just how precious life is and living each day to it’s fullest as he did and would want us to do. I am eternally grateful for having him in my life for 38 years and although his physical self isn’t here anymore, his spirit will be with me and all of us forever. Here’s to 2018 a new reality.
Well, 2017 is almost over. It started out great actually and then quickly became the worst year of my life when I lost my brother and best friend David on July 14th. This past week was especially hard because it was the first holiday season without him. Normally around this time I would go with my family to see David perform with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was always a very proud moment for us. TSO sent my family a bunch of tickets to this year’s show and had a tribute planned for David. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to go because it would be too hard, but my parents wanted to go and I knew I had to be there with them and for them.
The show was great as it always is, but you can definitely feel something missing. It was so hard to watch and not see David up there doing his thing. He was such a force of nature with a huge presence. For the most part I was fine, but when they played Sarajevo, the most well known TSO song, I lost it. I soon realized that my brother and my parents had lost it too so we were all a mess, but at least we were together. It was a very painful experience, but we were with a group of very close friends and family and their love and support helped us get through it. Thank you guys.
David started playing with TSO about 18 years ago so it’s been a major part of his life. That gig opened many doors which would allow David to realize his dream of being a Rock Star. TSO has been extremely kind to our family and very generous as well. For example, on Tuesday right before the show, it was announced that TSO will be donating $10,553 to the David Z Fund! It was a very touching moment and so greatly appreciated. For all the above and more I would like to say a big THANK YOU to TSO for everything you’ve done for David and the whole Z Family.
With this in mind and the year coming to an end I felt the urge to create a video tribute of David’s life set to the tune of TSO’s Prince of Peace. I chose to sing this song for a few reasons: 1) it’s my favorite TSO song 2) it reminds me of when I first saw David on stage with TSO and how he and I both got goosebumps hearing Daryl Pediford sing this song (he too passed away many years ago) and 3) David was one of the most peaceful and beautiful human beings I ever knew which makes him a real life "prince of peace" in my book. Anyone who knew him well knows this to be true.
As I move into 2018 I choose to use David’s memory as a source of happiness and inspiration and I encourage you all to do the same. He and I shared the same motto: “you can’t control what happens to you, only how you react.” Let’s react by keeping David in our hearts, remembering just how precious life is and living each day to it’s fullest as he did and would want us to do. I am eternally grateful for having him in my life for 38 years and although his physical self isn’t here anymore, his spirit will be with me and all of us forever. Here’s to 2018 a new reality.