Losing a Friend

Pat and Ralph DeBernardo

A very good friend of Columbia football, and a person who gave me a tremendous amount of encouragement and friendship as well, has passed away.

I learned yesterday that Pat DeBernardo, mother of Ralph DeBernardo '09, passed away late last week. She had put up a tremendous multi-year battle with colon cancer, but finally succumbed.

Pat was one of the very first people to email me out of the blue to thank me for this blog and to encourage me to keep it up. I soon learned that her son Ralph, her husband Joseph and younger son Robert were all just as warm and friendly as she was.

Pat was a great Columbia fan, and if you went to any Lions games from 2005-08, you probably saw her chearing the team on. Perhaps you spotted the great banner she made to celebrate the team's win against Cornell at the end of last season.

Pat was a great OB nurse, and she offered great advice to me and my wife Adar when she was pregnant with our younger daughter Yael during the 2007 season. I can tell that any young couple on her ward was very lucky to go through the birth process with her in charge, (it's always that OB nurse who helps you through it more than the doctors!).

I will always remember Pat's joy and enthusiasm, but today I am overcome with sadness. I know we all send out our prayers and best wishes to Ralph, Joseph, Robert and all of Pat's family.


FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO SEND A CARD OR NOTE TO THE DeBERNARDO FAMILY:

You can email me at novak.jake@gmail.com as the family has asked me to provide the address, but not Online.