Losing a parent is hard to come to grips with, even when you’re an adult with children and a family of your own. Their passing will always come as a massive emotional blow. And Denver Broncos QB Zach Wilson’s mother, Lisa Neeleman Wilson, has been trying to overcome the grief of the death of her father.
Advertisement
About three months ago, Zach lost his grandpa, Lisa’s father Gary Neeleman. He was 90 at the time.
Recently, Lisa posted a compilation video sharing some of the cherished moments with her father. The post on Instagram included a few photographs from the funeral. She also penned a heartfelt message as a tribute.
“It’s been three months since my daddy went to heaven. It’s taken me this long to find the strength to write this. Somehow, if I don’t post about it, it feels less real. But I’ve realized that sharing is part of healing—part of putting my heart back together,” wrote Lisa.
Sharing her journey of grief is helping Lisa deal with the crushing loss. She also informed everyone that Gary’s final day was a beautiful one. He was surrounded by family, which would have, though slightly, eased the sadness of his passing for the members.
“That day, we knew it would be the last time we saw him. In his last hours, he shared funny stories, made his silly faces, and gave a big smile for every person who walked through the door. Surrounded by his family, he slipped so bravely into the next life. Watching him leave this world was the hardest, most beautiful moment I’ve ever experienced.”
View this post on Instagram
While we may know Gary as Wilson’s grandpa, he was much more than that. A journalist who earned his stripes working all over the Americas — from Brazil to the Caribbean and Los Angeles — Gary was as tough as they come. Later in life, he faced and overcame many health challenges. He had lost most of his eyesight after a botched surgery following a jogging accident at age 70. He had a stroke at 80, and a car accident at 88. But Gary never gave up.
Wilson’s mom shares her eulogy online
In the caption to her post, Lisa presented the words she spoke as eulogy during her dad’s funeral.
“I spoke those words thousands of times over my life. Everyone knew Gary Neeleman. Everyone loved Gary Neeleman and I was so damn proud to be his daughter. I was and am the ultimate daddy’s girl. The inability to tell a story or recite words to a sad country song without bursting into tears. A good daily cry was normal for both of us. My thin, nearly clear skin that came from my dad, has made me a lifetime prisoner to the spray tan. I’m not sure my father‘s legs have ever seen sunlight.”
She wrote about their mutual love of eggs and disdain for swimming among many other father-daughter quirks. Lisa then outlined some of the things Gary taught her, including love for her country, and her Dutch heritage. She even included a funny anecdote about their shared “resistance to mosquito bites”.
Wilson can be seen in many of the photos in Lisa’s Instagram slideshow. No doubt, his grandpa was a large influence on his life, and he has been similarly affected by the passing.
Wilson is currently QB3 for the Broncos, sitting behind rookie Bo Nix and veteran Jarrett Stidham. The Broncos take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
