Jan Bzik

Athens Area High School

Class of 1975

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Jan Bzik - Class of 1975 - Athens Area High School

First Name	Jan
Last Name	Bzik
Graduation Year	Class of 1975
Gender	Female
Hometown	Athens, Pennsylvania
Relationship Status	Married
About Me	I have many heroes in my life-my husband, my children, my family, my friends,one and only one race car driver Geoff Bodine, and one special hero-Robert Shaler. A hero on 9/11 and every day after..... He would never accept the title of "hero" and that makes him one all the more. Author of "Who They Were". ~A Hero Forever-David Fontana-NYC Firefighter His wife-Marian Fontana-authoress and comedienne-"A Widows Walk". His son-Aidan Fontana-their son-their pride and joy. Three of my heroes. May 31st-2010. David Fontana's Eulogy by Marian Fontana. Excerpted here with her permission. From the book "A Widow's Walk". Any typos are mine. "It is difficult to distill an extraordinary life into a few short minutes. September 11th was our eighth wedding anniversary. Dave chose the date because he liked to tell people our anniversary was nine-one-one. It has been difficult to grasp how the happiest day of my life could also be my saddest. Even though I am a firefighter's wife, I never really imagined losing Dave. He seemed impossible to bring down, as solid, strong, and indomitable as the towers themselves. More painful to bear is that Dave, like so many of his fallen brothers, wanted so much to live. Dave had sculptures to carve, children to father, places to travel, waves to surf, fires to extinguish, ropes to tie, and innumerable memories to share with his family and friends. I want this day to be a celebration of David's life. He would have been thirty-eight today, and I know he would be deeply moved to see how many people love him. "I met Dave when I was eighteen years old and in the wildest of my college days. He was twenty-shy, introspective, charming, and absolutely gorgeous. We both lived in the arts dorm at college at C.W. Post. On our first date, Dave told me it was love at first sight and that he wanted to be with me forever. So on our second date, I cooked him an elaborate steak dinner and broke up with him. (The congregation laughs hard, thankful for a respite from the pain). It was when he got down on the ground, lay still, and did his impression of a speed bump that I knew he might be the one. Falling in love with Dave was like taking a long, reflective walk on the beach and then finding that perfect shell or stone. His gentle nature, genuine sweetness, outrageous humor, loving soul, and creative spirit won me over. The more I got to know Dave, the more walks we took, the more deeply I fell in love with him, and in our seventeen years together, I fell in love with him over and over again. Dave was an amazing person who loved so many different things: rugby and Ireland, the ocean and history. He loved tying knots and fighting fires, kayaks and hiking. He loved pine trees and hawks, reading and yoga. He loved playing practical jokes, climbing mountains, and helping people. He loved children and camping, fresh salmon, a cold pint of Guinness, and a warm fire. He loved to laugh hard and work hard, riding waves and rowing boats. He loved welding steel, the smell of wood burning, and starry skies. He loved his brothers and sisters, his mother and father, his nieces and nephews more than they'll ever know, and most of all he loved being a father. Dave proposed to me during a nor'easter in Prospect Park. With hailstones falling and lightning clapping, he professed his love, as he had ten years before. But it was two years later, when Dave became a father, that I learned how limitless Dave's love is. I knew he would be a good dad, but Dave embraced fatherhood with a zeal that surpassed my wildest expectations. He did laundry, changed diapers, and he loved toys more than any child. Aidan was his pride and joy, and he loved his son from the top of his head to the bottom of his big, flat feet. I remember one night when Aidan was tiny and refused to fall asleep. After hours he finally nodded off, and I tiptoed out of the room. A few minutes later I caught Dave sneaking into Aidan's room to make sure he was covered up with his blanket. I scolded Dave, fearful that he would wake him up. A little while later, I heard Dave in Aidan's room again. I was furious. I threw open the door to find Dave leaning over the crib whispering 'I love you' gently in Aidan's ear over and over. He stood up, dimples folded in a wide smile. 'I just want Aidan to know, deep in his consciousness, how much I really love him'. (Marian turns toward Aidan who is sitting in the church pew. He is still and listening.) Aidan, love is the only thing that lasts forever, and even though Daddy's gone, I hope you will remember how much your daddy loved you and keep that in your heart the rest of your life. I have tried hard to find the good to come out of losing the love of my life. This summer Dave insisted on buying a hat that he saw his friend Jerry at the firehouse wearing. It read 'Life is good", and for Dave it truly was, especially in his last months. Dave strove to live his life fully, to love his family and friends, to feel his feelings and to be an honest and good man. I think he accomplished that. I hope everyone here will use Dave's life as an example. I know I will. So tell the people around you that you love them, mend grudges, don't stay angry with people, and be kind. Dave did these things. His heart was as large as his frame, and I feel privileged to have called myself Dave's wife." ~~~ I read this most days and I really take to h...(read more)