Saying farewell to a South Boston legend

If you had seen the hundreds of cars parked outside the Gate of Heaven Church on Saturday morning and all the people coming and going, and then walked inside to see what all the excitement was about, you would have thought Hollywood producers were making another movie in South Boston. One not about crime, violence and gangsters, as it most frequently is, but maybe a sequel to the wholesome TV series “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” or perhaps along the lines of the great actor Jimmy Stewart’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” only with the real stories of the past 85-plus years in this working class multiimmigrant-rich community that is often proudly and affectionately called Southie.

For one-and-a-half hours in the jam-packed church on Fourth Street, we heard people laughing and saw many people crying as they heard story after story about the old community as told by longtime residents, priests, politicians, including former state Sen. Jack Hart, and family members of the late South Boston legend Harry Uhlman, who died recently at 87. Harry was an Army veteran, union leader, athlete and commuAt nity activist, but most of all a man committed to helping special needs children and adults.

But the most moving moment of his funeral Mass took place at the end, when a group of special needs children and their parents were invited up to the alter by Pastor Robert Casey to sing a beautiful rendition of “That’s What Friends Are For,” in honor of the life of Harry Uhlman and all that he has done for so many people over the years. Harry had many friends from throughout the city and beyond, and several people even came from Ireland and Florida to show their respect at his funeral. I have attended many inspiring funerals over these many years, including Pope John Paul II’s at the Vatican, and President John F. Kennedy’s when I was serving in the U.S. Army and stationed outside of Washington, D.C., and Harry Uhlman’s funeral Mass was among the most moving.

At his wake the night before, talking with his family and longtime friends, we reflected on the many good things he did to help people, but what he did for special needs children and adults will stay in my heart forever. I have been constantly thinking of a famous verse from Scripture when Jesus said, “whatsoever you did to the least of your brothers and sisters, you did unto me” — Matthew, 25:31-46. Harry and so many other good people learned those important moral values from our faith, family and neighbors.

I’m proud to have been a longtime family friend of Harry. His wife’s family and mine even lived in the same three-decker house on Sixth Street, between I and K streets when we were kids, along with another Southie legend who coached, taught and helped hundreds of kids, Kenny Preskenis.

This is the real story of South Boston.

Maybe some day Hollywood will make a movie about these fine people.