The Bench

While at Disneyland, Jon received a message on his phone from the City of Gilbert letting him know my brother’s memorial bench arrived and was already delivered to the park and cemented in (way before schedule)! What a gift from God to have something like that to look forward to back in Arizona.

It was simply torturous that the night we arrived home that I couldn’t walk over to the park to check it out. But my first available moment, the next morning, you betcha I was there, I couldn’t wait. And as I arrived with the boys, my heart was pounding quicker than normal. I had several emotions stirring around me from sadness to sheer joy. Oh how I wanted to sit there, to rub my fingers on the words I had etched on the backside, pray, and feel one step closer to the man I miss so very much. But as I got closer, it was being occupied by a single man. “What should I do?” I thought. So as I was right next to it, I just knelt down and started telling the boys about the bench and just talking about “Uncle” as we refer to him. The man overheard and insisted that he moved and we sat on it. He stayed with us for about 25 minutes or so, wanting to know about my brother. He was so complimentary and even had me take a photo of him on the bench so he could “Tell Johnny’s story” to his friends and family. Neat!

My brother’s bench is at Cosmo’s Dog Park in Gilbert, Arizona overlooking the water/beach area up on the hilltop. It had to be there as it was the place my brother would walk our kids to practically every night after dinner to just sit and watch the dogs. It was because of Johnny doing that that Owen overcame his fear of dogs actually (and desperately wants one).
The bench was only possible because of so many generous friends, strangers, and family that donated items for me to sell in a memorial garage sale. I will forever be grateful for that! God bless you all!

Please, take the time to go to the park and enjoy my brother’s bench that reads,

John Bailey Kovatch, In God’s hands & our hearts!

Please tell me once you do. For me, it’s such a restful place to ponder. I think you will feel the same way too.