Okay, folks. Time for a serious chat.
Let’s talk about attachments. Whether or not it is family or friends or people that you see on the TV all the time, we grow attached to them.
Today, the latest episode of "This Old House" aired. They are nearly done redoing an old shingle-style house. Part of the redo was new tiling. And, doing the tiling as always, was Joe Ferrante. The master bathroom is a magnificent example of how Joe was meticulous in his work and craftsmanship.
The week they shot this episode, on November 9, Joe had a massive heart attack at the site and died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Personally, I feel like I lost a friend, a teacher and, yes, a favorite uncle. He never had a bad day on camera and was always sharing the tricks of the trade that he learned over the many years he was doing tile work.
The end of the episode starts with the house quiet and in the rain. What happened next was Kevin, standing in the master bath with the tile "carpet" that Joe laid so carefully, telling us that Joe had passed away. I think that was the hardest thing that Kevin ever had to do. On the website, Tom Silva said that he was supposed to be in the shot with Kevin but just could not get through it. I don’t blame Tommy. He and Joe worked together since 1983 and this has to be a tremendous loss for him and the whole crew.
So, when you pray to whatever deity you venerate, put in a good word for Joe and for his family and friends.
I’ll miss his smiling face.
January 11, 2008 at 11:53 am |
Well said.
January 31, 2008 at 5:01 am |
That’s tragic.
We had a children’s Tv program called ‘Pipkins’ in which an elderly actor played the role of Mr Pipkin, the owner of a toy shop (as I recall).
The rest of the characters were puppets.
It was aimed at 3-5 year old kids, and was very popular.
Anyway, the elderly actor died and to their credit, the program makers didn’t just swing in some new guy made up to look like the old guy, they had a new presenter who explained in a sensitive manner that Mr Pipkin had died.
It was tastefully done and a great first step for kids in learning to deal with bereavement.