For Grandpa Ha

I got the videos of Meagan! She's amazing.

But first a little story...

Roll the clock back 18 years. South Florida. 1992. One of the worst storms in the history of the United States, Hurricane Andrew, hits South Florida causing loss of lives and billions of dollars in damages. Once the hurricane passed, Shelly's dad, Harold S. Kern (Grandpa Ha) rip (Tobi, Meagan and Hallee's Grandpa) was the first one outside helping his neighbors. He was moving fallen trees so people could drive out of the community. He was making sure people had candles or batteries and flashlights. He even found out that the small executive airport by his house, North Perry Airport, was corralling people together to bring supplies to the people of South Miami who were hit the hardest by the storm, and he was the first one there to help.

The young pilot, John Stoian, 41, of Hollywood, Joe Zagacki, a local sportscaster, and Grandpa Ha, all boarded a small plane filled with supplies. Upon takeoff the engine sputtered, and the plane came crashing down, right into a nearby house, just next to the airfield. Shelly's Dad was killed instantly and the pilot died a few hours later in the hospital. I can still remember receiving a call from Shelly while I was at work. She heard there had been a plane crash. She didn't know at the time that her Daddy was on the plane that had crashed, but she felt it. She called me crying and yelling and she told me his phone was off and his phone was NEVER off! She knew. I tried to calm her down and I told her there was no way her Dad was on that plane. 1/2 hour later she called back. He WAS on the plane. I ran out of the office and drove 100 miles an hour to be with her. Now whenever she's afraid, whether it's about the girls or about her health, I never say ..."Don't be ridiculous! ..." As we learned, anything can happen.

You can read more about the crash here: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-08-28/news/9201180089_1_plane-homestead-general-airport-radio-stations

Losing Grandpa Ha was a terrible tragedy. He was the greatest guy! When he went out, he usually wore a leather cap and when he was at home, he always wore his grey Mickey Mouse T-shirt. Tobi, Shelly's oldest daughter remembers him best. She was 5 when he died, and they were besties! Grandpa Ha might have passed away 18 years ago, but his light still shines bright in our hearts. When we are together, inevitably we bring up something that reminds us of him. Meagan dedicated her show to him. Tobi wrote a song about her Grandpa and at the show, Meagan sang it. They performed the song once before at a Lovewell show, I think, (http://lovewell.org/) and it was awesome then too.

It doesn't matter how many times we hear it...we cry. A lot. Every time.

Here's the little beauty, our G-d Daughter, performing her sisters compostion, Grandpa's Eyes.

Here's another awesome song Meagan performed. Not as sad. :) It's called "The Dance".

Isn't she amazing? So proud of her! Hubs and I were lucky enough to have her sing for us at our wedding too! Love you Meagan.

...and to Harold S. Kern. You made a difference. You are loved. ...and you are missed, every day.

(I visit you at your waterside condo whenever I'm in your 'hood.) Rest in Peace.

If you want to read more about Hurricane Andrew:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hurricane Andrew was the third most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season. During Andrew's duration it struck the northwestern Bahamas, southern Florida at Homestead (south of Miami), and southwest Louisiana around Morgan City in August. Andrew caused $26.5 billion in damage ($41.1 billion 2010 USD), with most of that damage cost in south Florida, which it struck at Category 5 strength; however, other sources estimated the total cost between $27 billion to $34 billion. Its central pressure ranks as fourth-lowest in U.S. landfall records and Andrew was the costliest Atlantic hurricane in U.S. history until surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was one of two intense hurricanes to strike the United States that year; Hurricane Iniki in the Central Pacific struck Hawaii a few weeks later as a Category 4 hurricane. By 11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, residents were warned that precautions to protect life and property should have been completed. About 55,000 people left the Florida Keys. Evacuations were ordered for 517,000 people in Dade County, 300,000 in Broward County, 315,000 in Palm Beach County and 15,000 in St. Lucie County. For counties further west in Florida, evacuation totals exceeding one thousand people are Collier (25,000), Glades (4,000) and Lee (2,500). A 7 to 10-foot (3.0 m) storm surge was predicted for Eastern Florida and the Florida Keys, and a 7 to 11-foot (3.4 m) storm surge was predicted for Western Florida before the storm exited Florida. Some isolated tornadoes were also predicted for South and Central Florida for August 23 and August 24. At least 1,500 National Guard troops were deployed to Florida to prevent looting. Many hurricane watches and warnings were issued in Florida because of Hurricane Andrew. Including a hurricane warning issued on August 23, that stretched from Vero Beach, all the way to the Florida Keys and to Dry Tortugas. All watches and warning in the state were discontinued late on August 24 after Andrew moved offshore of Florida. As with most high-intensity storms (Categories 4 and 5), the worst damage from Andrew is thought to have occurred not from straight-line winds but from vortices, or tornadoes or "miniwhirls" (something like embedded tornadoes). Looting also occurred in Florida after the storm, with at least 100 people attempting to ransack the Cutler Ridge shopping mall south of Miami. However, the deployment of 600 National Guard troops in the region restored order. Andrew produced a 17 feet (5.2 m) storm surge near the landfall point in Florida. A tidal surge of 16.9 feet (5.2 m) was recorded at the shoreline of SW 184th Street (Eureka Drive), the former location of the Burger King world corporate headquarters on the coast of the Perrine/Cutler Ridge area (directly within the path of the northern eyewall). Storm surge destruction was minimal, though, because of Andrew not moving over Miami itself. Rainfall was limited in Southeast Florida because of Andrew traveling through at fast speeds (between 20 and 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) forward speed). Unlike most hurricanes, the vast majority of the damage in Florida was due to the winds. The agricultural loss in Florida was $1.04 billion alone. In Dade County 90% of homes had major roof damage. 117,000 were destroyed or had major damage. The Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station was hit directly by Andrew. Over $90 million of damage was done, largely to a water tank and to a smokestack of one of the fossil-fueled units on-site, but the containment buildings were undamaged. The nuclear plant was built to withstand winds of up to 235 miles per hour (378 km/h). Power lines to the Florida Keys were destroyed, leaving residents without power. However, water was maintained, although it had to be boiled. There was also moderate damage to the coral reef areas offshore of Florida down to depths of 75 feet (23 m).Massive damage caused by Andrew at Homestead Air Force Base, very near the point of landfall on the South Florida coast, led to the closing of the base as a full active-duty base. It was later partly rebuilt and operates today as a U. S. Air Reserve base. The aircraft and squadron were relocated to Aviano Air Base in Italy.

An entire Miami neighborhood is leveled.

The slow response of federal aid to storm victims in southern Florida led Dade County emergency management director Kate Hale to famously exclaim at a nationally televised news conference, "Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one? They keep saying we're going to get supplies. For God's sake, where are they?" Almost immediately, President George H. W. Bush promised, "Help is on the way, "and mobile kitchens and tents, along with units from the 82nd Airborne Division, began pouring in. Insurance claims in the wake of the extreme damage caused by Andrew led to the bankruptcy and closure of 11 insurance agencies and drained an excessive amount of equity from 30 more. An estimated $16 billion of the total losses (mainly structural) were insured. The Federal Insurance Administration estimated that flood damage from the hurricane would total $100 million and that the program would cover all expected claims. Even though a state-managed catastrophe fund was implemented to provide protection for the industry and its consumers, insurance rates and deductibles drastically increased. Nearly one million residences were no longer eligible for coverage by any insurance agency. This led the Florida Legislature to create new agencies (the Joint Underwriting Association, the Florida Windstorm Underwriting Association and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund) to restore adequate insurance coverage.

Buildings on the Deering Estate. Still-water marks from storm surge measured at 16.5 feet (5.0 m).

Homeowners and officials criticized developers and contractors for inadequate building practices and poor building codes. An inquiry after the storm concluded that there were probably construction flaws in some buildings, and that the state of Florida did enforce some strict building codes since 1986, but they were either overlooked or ignored.

The effects of Hurricane Andrew on Florida wetlands were considerable. In the Florida Everglades, 25%, 70,000 acres (280 km²) of trees were knocked down by the storm. It took 20 days for new trees and vegetation to grow following the storms passing. Damage to marine life was moderate as the storm increased the turbidity and lowered the oxygen level in the water, threatening many fish and other marine wildlife. In addition, the storm killed 182 million fish in the basin, causing $160 million (1992 USD) in lost value. In the decade after the storm, Hurricane Andrew may have contributed to the massive and sudden housing boom in Broward County, Florida. Located just north of Miami-Dade County, residents who had lost their homes migrated to western section