Cheryl A. Cuddahy: Andrea Bocelli, ‘The Prayer’

I remember this one beautiful summer day this past year that my sister and I enjoyed time with our mother, talking, laughing, and listening to music outside on her deck.

The sun was shining that day and when the song “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli came on over the radio, my mom stated, “this is my favorite song.” She looked like she was in Heaven, singing the song with a big smile on her beautiful face.

Bocelli wasn’t just a performer to my mother, he was also a connection to her Italian heritage, which she held close to her heart.

We didn’t know just how significant that song would be on that day as we fast forwarded to September, when our mother unexpectedly passed away.

In the days to come, we kept this song close to our hearts, it was an important song to our family now, bringing us comfort and peace.

My brother, sister and I decided to have this song played during her funeral Mass, the church was silent and still, as the stunning voice of Bocelli resonated the perfect tribute to our perfect Italian mother.

As fate would have it, this past Christmas season, my sister and I were fortunate to see Bocelli in concert.

As his extraordinary voice overcame our emotions, we were reminded just how thankful we were to have been blessed by our mother’s love and the love of her Italian heritage. This love was something that she instilled in her three children, her grandchildren, and her great- grandchildren.

I now catch myself humming this song daily and it is something I will hold deep in my heart going into the new year.

“Prego che troveremo la tua luce e la terremo nei nostri cuori, quando le stelle si spengono ogni notte, ricordaci dove sei — Lascia che questa sia la nostra preghiera.”

“I pray we’ll find your light, and hold it in our hearts, when stars go out each night, remind us where you are.”