There aren’t many things more difficult in life than losing a parent. Even when you’ve grown into an adult with children and a family of your own, parents are still everpresent in our lives, and their passing will always come as a massive emotional blow. That’s what Denver Broncos QB Zach Wilson’s mother, Lisa Neeleman Wilson, has been dealing with recently.
Advertisement
About three months ago, Zach lost his grandpa, but Lisa lost her father, Gary Neeleman, who was 90 at the time of his passing.
Recently, Lisa was reminiscing about Gary, and decided to post a compilation video of her cherished moments with her father as well as a few photos taken of the family at his funeral. She also included a heartfelt message about her dearly departed dad.
“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.”
Sharing her journey through the grief of losing a loved one has helped Lisa deal with such a crushing loss. She also informed everyone that Gary’s final day was a beautiful one during which he was surrounded by family, which must have, if only slightly, eased his passing for the family.
“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 Zach Wilson’s grandpa, he was much more than that. He was a journalist all over the Western Hemisphere, from Brazil to the Caribbean to Los Angeles. Gary was also as tough as they come. He lost his eyesight after a jogging accident, dealt with a botched surgery at age 70, a stroke at 80, and a car accident at 88, and kept on chugging along.
Zach Wilson’s mom shares her eulogy online
As part of her post, Zach Wilson’s mother decided that, rather than come up with new words to communicate her relationship with her father on social media, she’d simply use the words she spoke at the funeral for her father’s eulogy.
“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 also discussed their mutual love of eggs and disdain for swimming. Lisa then outlined some of the things he taught her, including a love for her country and her Dutch heritage. She even included a funny quip about their shared “resistance to mosquito bites.”
Zach 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 was similarly affected by his passing.
Wilson is currently QB3 for the Denver Broncos, sitting behind rookie Bo Nix and veteran journeyman Jarrett Stidham. The Broncos take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
