I first met the Side family at an event I was speaking at in Grand Prairie. I was working for CN Rail and naturally I wasn’t the most appreciated person speaking during the event and I was new to both the area and my job. After the event I had a brief meeting with the Side family and I did not know what we were going to talk about but within 5 minutes I felt that I met someone that I wanted to be around and listen to and talk with for ever. Al made you feel secure because he cared about what you had to say and he made you feel welcome. He had no need to be that way, he could have discounted someone like me and many others, considering what he had done with his life, but no matter what, he always had time to listen and care and make you feel important. He was a man among men. His curiosity, his thirst for learning and making something better, his belief that no matter what, if you don’t try, it won’t happen, made him feel like a soul mate to me. Over the years my wife Kelly and I have had the great fortune to be around Al, lovely Barb – the female version of Al – and their wonderful family, especially the girls, their husbands and the wonderful grandkids. Moving away from the west because of job commitments reduced the opportunity to be around Al, Barb and the family but we kept in touch through an Al “email” and always when we went to our place in Palm Springs we would find out if they were there and at least have a lunch or dinner, or watch Barb at the casino taking in the Pennie’s.

I can’t tell you how much we are going to miss him, but he’ll always be our hearts and I’ll always think about the times we were privileged to be in his presence.

Going to miss him badly, but we’re so happy we got to spend time on this earth with him.

Goodbye my friend I’m going to miss you.