Updates and Comments From Michele's Family On August 1, 2002, Nicholas' dad, Robert Lanza, was remarried. Nicholas now has a stepmom. From: SUSAN (Michele's Sister) MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL:     Thank you all for your prayers, for your concern, for your compassion, for your sympathy, for your sensitivity--it has made a tremendous impact on the family. We are very touched by the outpouring of love,compassion,concern,sensitivity, and prayers from the public. It was an overwhelming piece of work, that still emotionally drains us as we look back now from this point in time. The film is only able to capture moments of time but not all of time.     This film has touched many peoples lives in many different ways. It will probably continue to do so for the contents are lived on a very super-real high emotional level. A level no one wants to live again. Thank you for bearing with me and my family as we travel on what seems to be a very surreal ten day journey containing: hatred and love; injury and pardon; discord and unity; doubt and faith; error and truth; despair and hope.     We feel very BLESSED to have had Michele as a member of our family. She was our blonde haired blue eyed beauty. You can see by the film, the devastation we went through during those ten incredibly emotional days following 9/11 and the many days after until some form of structure was brought back to the family. Of course it is not the same without Michele in it We miss her dearly and the film only reminds us of what a wonderful person she really was. Life is a gift so cherish every moment and think again before you argue or dislike someone for being who they are.     Since this film captures the rawness of the reality of that moment in time you may not be able to appreciate Michele's essence as we do, although Nicholas does a fine job of representing her now. I think if she were here first of all we would not be doing this and second you would get to enjoy who she was as she lived life fully and completely. Michele's spirit actually creates this film.     We'll always have the film to remind us of many facts but we also can share her beautiful soul with the world. Michele was a very social person; she loved people and people simply loved her. She shared every part of herself with every person she met. She'd drop anything in a second to lend a helping hand and now Nicholas will extend that hand. You can see all of this just by observing Nicholas. He's filled with such wonderful love and compassion as he shares and consoles the family members when he finds out that his mom's not coming home.     Nicholas is a very special and a very brave little boy to us; and now to the world. You can see Michele's essence magnified through her son, who will miss her for the rest of his life. Their worlds were one in the same. Michele would be so proud of her little boy sharing his compassion and sensitivity with those who grieve not only the loss of a mom but of a daughter, a sister, a wife, an aunt and a friend.     Michele's impact on the world is phenomenal even after she is gone. Many people who know Michele can see her through Nicholas. Michele lived for living, she simply loved life. Michele loved the world and now the world will love her. So many people are praying for us, for the many other families and for world peace.     Nicholas will one day realize his impact on the world. He'll be so proud of himself and so proud of his mom for doing such a wonderful job in raising him in such a short amount of time. He has a huge impact on not only children but adults, through his compassion and sensitivity as a seven year old to deliver such a message. Through this ability he will realize his special gift to the world. Michele would be so proud of him and so dignified. He is our hero.     We were so worried about how little Nicholas would take the news of his mom not coming home to him ever again. It was breaking our hearts as we know it would break his. Michele and Nicholas were together every minute. Nicholas pulls himself through as he cries when he finds out that his mom is not coming home. He is able to carry this grief and console others as if in Michele's absence he has the power of the two of them put together.     Michele's spirit is felt through the movement, consoling actions and words of little Nicholas. Her spirit will be with him forever. They say the eyes are the windows of the soul, both Nicholas and Michele have the exact same eyes. Nicholas displayed compassion, sensitivity, courage, strength and will to go on as my sister Michele did. God Bless both of them -- God Bless us all.     One should learn one of life's most valuable lessons from this tragedy. Life is a precious, precious gift, as the breath of God allows us to breathe. Never take anything for granted. Live life to the fullest and highest potential. Never shelter or control your love; express it fully because as you fill someone's heart they to can fill yours. Life is what you make it, so make it the very best for yourself, for others and for the world. For as you give, so shall you receive -- so give the best and receive the best. One never knows when death will come knocking at their door. So keep yours open and share your love with the world.     Dr. Gilda played a major role with the entire family. Her expertise on the subject never left anyone wondering about how to feel. She supported every family member through their hardest times giving them stamina to move on.     Robert so needed her guidance on how to tell little Nicholas the horrible, horrible news. She enforced his courage to take control as the now super dad who has to deliver the message of despair and hope at the same time.     Cindy required Dr. Gilda's strong background to encourage her to go to the hospital for further treatment and counseling. Upon doing so, it enabled her to begin her road to recovery. Cindy was just so withdrawn and beside herself with this horrible grief.     Dr. Gilda deserves a world of thanks for her compassion, sensitivity and knowledge during this most difficult time. She showed everyday as a trooper, just like the rest of us. Her driving force for rightful action was truly appreciated. She was the backbone people looked to and the shoulder to be leaned on.     Ron is just an incredible, incredible man. He is the creative wizard and mastermind behind the whole project. He was very warm, sensitive, compassionate and understanding during this very traumatic time. We felt very comfortable around him and at ease with him. He would question us and stress things with us but he let it go as it flowed.     Ron is a very friendly, kind, considerate soul. He understands the scenes and the means. His point and intention of the film is well taken. He has accomplished his goal with a film very real and very well done for its moment in time. He is the only one who captured that moment in time and acted on it.     My congratulations to you Ron and all your efforts, for you truly capture the essence of that time in United States history. It's just too bad you didn't get to know my sister Michele; you would've connected so well with her. I know she would truly thank you for all that you've done.     It was truly a pleasure working with Ron and Dr. Gilda, although I wish it were under much better circumstances. Blessings to both of you and all that you choose to do. Concerning the family now:     ETHEL, my mom, is doing much better now. She has gone through both group and private counseling sessions to manage her grief, anger and hostile feelings. She is still attending private therapy at this time. Her medical condition remains the same, she just gets too emotionally excited and drains herself of energy at those crucial intense moments allowing her to pass out. She is currently back to work and continues to function from day to day but misses Michele terribly. Part of her wants Michele to call her or come walking up the street any minute now and tell her she's okay and she's coming home.     ALBERT, my dad, is dealing with it from day to day. He misses her terribly. She was over our house every day with Nicholas. He misses that, the company, the sharing, the coffee clutches, the family. He is now back at work as a New York City Inspector. He realizes she's gone and continues to carry on.     CINDY, my little sister, is doing fantastic. She was severely depressed and withdrawn but her outlook on life is so much better now. Her approach to healing is being done on a spiritual level. She is back to work and running the house with her two beautiful children (Nicollette and Jacqueline) and her husband (Domenick). She had a fear of driving before 9/11 but I'll tell you now, her road test is scheduled for the week of May 20th. She has moments if she sees pictures or if someone talks about the towers or Michele. She gets upset, she cries but she realizes what's happened -- not that she wants to believe it ( like most of us). She has not seen the film because she can not yet see Michele animated in motion not the towers burning and the entire impact of 9/11. She will be able to watch is someday as she regains her power and strength in the world. She misses Michele dearly, as the two of them were constantly together because of the children.     DOMENICK, my bother-in-law, is doing fine. He had to play the role, as well as my dad did, for the matriarchs of their families. In case you're wondering, he did apologize this same evening for the outburst of anger he displayed. He has toned down much since then. He's back at work and his relationship with Cindy and the girls is just great. He loves her very dearly, as he does the two girls. He keeps the family very close. He's very supportive of Cindy as she chooses ways in which she can get herself back to her highest potential.     NICOLLETTE (age 10) and JACQUELINE (age 3) are preciously marvelous. Nicollette is excelling in school and dance. Jackie is also. Their dance recital is at the end of June. They are both excited about it and the fact that their mom will be able to attend. They both miss Nicholas and Aunt Michele. Jackie speaks about them all the time. She wants to have Nicholas and all his friends at her birthday party.     NICHOLAS and ROBERT, my nephew and brother-in-law, live together in Virginia and are doing great. Robert had a tough role here. He actually had to play the super dad, even though he was estranged both physically and emotionally. My parents just came back from spending a weekend with them. Nicholas seems to be adjusting to his new surroundings but it's just not the same without his mom, he misses her terribly. He is excelling in school beautifully. He now writes in script and does multiplication and long division. His school is more advanced then they are up here since he's only seven and those functions are usually performed in a higher grade. I did get to see many of his school notes, since Robert gave them to my parents. He wants everyone to be proud of Nicholas and his many achievements, as we know Michele would be. Concerning his grades, he never went below a 93. He had many 100's, smiley faces, excellent marks and good work rewards all over his papers. He seems to be able to focus considering the fact his mom, Aunt Cindy, my mom and my dad are not there to help him. We are all just amazed as he lives knowing what happened to his mom and the devastation of the world.     SUSAN, that's me, I'm doing great. I, of course, choose to look at everything in a very spiritual way. I have been connecting with Michele since 9/11. My abilities allow me many opportunities in many ways and I do cherish them. I do miss her dearly and I'll miss this lifetime with her. We were like twins, since I am one year and four days older than Michele. We grew up together side by side. We went to school together, we played sports together, we were always there for one another. I can't believe she's not in the physical world anymore.     We all just had birthday's. My birthday was April 22nd, Michele's was April 26th and Cindy's was April 27th.. The combination of the birthday week and Mother's Day has been very hard for us, as all the holidays seem to be.     We know Michele's spirit will live on eternally and she will always be with us in our hearts, in our minds and in our souls. Michele will always be a part of our family. You can never really lose a member of a loving, caring family soul group, it's impossible for their spirit lives on forever.     WE LOVE YOU MICHELE, WE MISS YOU DEARLY. GOD BLESS YOU! Enjoy and cherish each and every moment of your life--it is precious--it is a gift--share it.     Remember to love yourself, love one another and love God. GOD BLESS YOU ALL! with love Susan G. C., D.N., Ph.D.     © 2001-03 James Ronald Whitney See the Web sites for the director's other films: Just, Melvin, TheWorkingGirl.com and Games People Play: New York Comments or questions about the Web site contact the WebMaster at www.SolutionsWebDesign.net