A Letter To My Mother In-Law
I want to start by first saying thank you! Thank you to everyone who reached out to my wife and me in the past week. Last week, I left Wednesday’s show like any other day. I got my things ready for the next show and had a great day at home. Around midnight, my wife woke me up to the news that her mom had passed away. After gaining my thoughts and realizing what was going on, I jumped into action and became my wife’s and her family’s support system. I loved my mother-in-law and will never forget the better person she made me in our short 8-year relationship.
My mother-in-law suffered from Pulmonary fibrosis and had the ultimate goal of receiving a lung transplant. After years of being on the transplant list and several “dry runs” last week, her dream was coming true as they found a pair of lungs that would be perfect for her. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go as planned and resulted in her passing.
I am not writing this to make people feel bad for me or my family. I am writing this because I think, as someone in my position, it’s important to share our feelings and what is going on in our lives.
Big Jim and I have always wanted this show to feel like “the guys you can have a beer with.” I think that comes with sharing some of our personal lives. Death happens, but it’s how you deal with it, honor and celebrate the ones you lost, and continue life like they would want.
WHY I LOVED MY MOTHER IN LAW:
After doing this show for years, I have concluded that not everyone has gotten along with their in-laws. I get it; there is a lot to balance regarding having in-laws. That said, I loved my mother-in-law like she was my mother. Like most, it took a while, I think, for her to gain my trust and see that I was very serious about her daughter. I remember the first time her mom looked me up; she saw me wearing a costume from the show.
It’s not the best first impression you want when trying to show you are serious. After a while, I think she saw that she could trust me and that I loved her daughter more than life itself. Shelia was the type of mother-in-law you would love to have. She made sure to give you advice when asked and never tried to overstep her line when it came to our marriage. She let us figure it out and build our own lives. I will always thank her for that.
I will also always thank her for how she treated our son, Finnian. She loved him more and more every day and made sure he knew it. Maybe it was buying him a small toy and making a big deal out of it, or even with her illness, she played and ran around with him as best she could. I will forever be grateful that my son spent time with her. She will continue to look down on and protect our kids.
My mother-in-law passed away, and I am heartbroken; I loved her more than I think she knew, and I will never forget the moments we had together.
LETTER TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW
I want to end with a little letter to her. Thank you, Sheila, for allowing me to date and marry your daughter. You gave me Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, and more, but your daughter was the greatest gift you ever gave me. You taught her to be strong, independent, and not to take shit from anyone, which has allowed her to be the best wife and mom I could ever ask for. As for your grandkids, don’t worry. I will ensure they know their grandma and who they are. They will celebrate your life and everything you stood for. Again, I love you, Mom, and I wish I would have said it more often. Love always, your son-in-law Ryan.
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