The Diana Fish Fundraiser for The Brain Aneurysm Foundation May 14, 2010 Fundraiser in Memory of Diana Fish to raise money and awareness for The Brain Aneurysm Foundation was A HUGE SUCCESS! Thank you to all who supported the cause and honored the memory of my Mom Those who could not attend may still contribute directly to The Brain Aneurysm Foundation at www.bafound.org.   Special thanks to: Julio Arce Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts, with special acknowledgement of Ray Velez and my Sensei, Bryan Gotthoffer Justin Blair, Church Street Boxing Gym, Friday Night Fights NYC     My mom, Diana Fish, was born on August 11, 1942.  She was poor and lived in a studio apartment on the lower East Side of Manhattan with her mom, Irene, brother, Ray, and dad, David, who was rarely around.  She was athletic and a good student.  Mickey Mantle was her idol.  She married my dad, Stanley, on May 10, 1967.  I was born on January 6, 1971, and my brother, Matthew, on June 2, 1972.  My mom and dad are the greatest influences in my life.  My mom didn’t like many of my hobbies (football, wrestling, and boxing) but she was unconditionally supportive of all of my endeavors.  My mom worked a civil service job her whole life, except when my brother and I were very young, but she was very generous with what little she had.  My mom was not a trained chef, but her food tasted the best.  My mom loved comedies, musicals, the Odd Couple television show, mystery novels, Robert DeNiro and Johnny Depp movies, and, most of all, baseball and the New York Yankees.  I still often begin to call her while watching Yankee games.  My mom placed her family above everything else, including herself.  My mom did not care about money or vanity.  She was always content with what she had and was very proud of her family.  Her grandchildren were the focus of her life for the past several years.  She loved spending time with my dad, particularly on their trips to Las Vegas two to three times a year, where they mainly played 25 cent slots and ate at buffets.  On their last trip, on February 27, 2008, my mom had a terrible headache and went to her room.  She became nauseous and went to the bathroom where she collapsed in my dad’s arms.  The terrific staff at The Orleans hotel had her rushed to the hospital, where she had emergency surgery for a sudden, undetected brain aneurysm.  She was cared for by a wonderful staff, led by neurosurgeon, Dr. Keith Blum.  My mom never woke again, and died on April 4, 2008 in a hospice, with me and my dad by her side.  My mom has not shared any of the few special days with us since she is gone.  She did not see my daughter’s Black Belt test or violin recital.  She is no longer at birthdays and anniversaries and holidays.  As my dad said when we last saw my mom: “You taught us a lot and we are not going to forget it.” I miss you, mom.