Manny Nedwick's Memorial Fund

Dearest Family, Friends, Community, anyone who knew or knows, loved or loves, Emanuel “Manny” Nedwick, his wife Miriam Nedwick, and his daughters Genessis Nedwick (departed from this world), Andrea Nedwick, and Lily Castel de Oro

 

It is with heavy hearts that we relay the following story of Manny’s exit from this world:

 

Story of Exit:

On Friday, January 14th, Miriam texted her daughters that she had not heard from Manny since the night before. Lily spent all of Friday night calling her dad's favorite karaoke bars and local hospitals to no avail. On Saturday afternoon, by 2pm, Lily and her sister Andrea had posters made out, created facebook advertisements, and (along with their partners and aunts and uncles) set out from Los Angeles armed with flashlights and water to find their father. On Saturday evening, 48 hours after he disappeared, Aunt Mari found out his car was impounded at a tow yard because of an accident.

 

That meant there was only one place left to call: the coroner's office.

 

On Saturday at 8:30pm, Lily found out that her father, who had moved to Vegas to breathe life into his consulting business and pursue his dream of singing on stages at the age of 79, had perished in a car accident. The news stories cite that a 2021 Chevy Silverado pulled out to turn left from a parking lot in front of his oncoming 1991 Toyota Camry on a busy road in Vegas. He died on the way to the hospital of blunt force trauma. (News articles: https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/crime/las-vegas-police-investigate-fatal-crash-in-summerlin/article_4b5c4b12-74fc-11ec-a9ce-330b4834f89a.html, https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/driver-dies-after-collision-with-truck-in-summerlin-2513220/)

 

Needless to say, his family is heartbroken and in shock. Dad had just gotten a clean bill of health from a doctor. He was joining karaoke bands and singing on stages 3 or 4 nights a week. He was living his best life. And now he’s gone. There’s a video of him singing with a karaoke band here on January 4th: https://www.facebook.com/michael.bohnet.3/videos/440265761157992/

 

Who was Manny?

Manny was a man who helped his wife Miriam’s immigrant family settle and find their way in a new country. He raised three girls and had a hand in housing almost many of our cousins. He loved musical theater, Jazz standards, political debates with his liberal cockamamie daughters, president’s biographies, and making our friend’s cigarettes disappear at parties (Dad was a magician and member of the Magic Castle when we were kids). He made epic salads that we will never be able to replicate. He took the most awkward photos; his smile seemed forever like that of a five-year-old child who hasn’t figured out how his mouth worked yet. His only love language was acts of service, which he did, almost always without question, until the day he died. Any errand that needed doing, no matter how large or small, Uncle Manny, (as our mom’s family called him) would do it in an instant. Three times in the span of just as many hours, if it was necessary.

 

 

What is lost?

His death seems a cruel taunt in the face of life tragedies and possibilities. Four years ago, his daughter Genessis died of cancer. Six months ago, Lily’s mother-in-law-to-be passed away suddenly. Two months ago, Miriam was diagnosed with colon cancer.

 

Lily is to be married in Guatemala in six months with the intention of finally delivering Manny a grandchild. Now he will not be here to see this new life start. Andrea’s career as a financial analyst is just starting to bear fruit (Daddy always said that she took after Grandma Lillian, a meticulous accountant). And, his death came just one day after his 37th anniversary with Miriam, at a time when they were re-discovering love for one another. The cash we found on him was his reserve for taking Mom out for dinner that evening.

 

At least we know he is not alone; we’re sure he is flying the world, singing on every karaoke stage, and playing Gin Rummy with Genessis, who loved to play cards and I am sure was eager for a worthy opponent.

 

Funds Requested

And of course, what follows sudden death is sudden expenses. Mom and Dad have plots for which they were making payments; we need the space now, a good decade before we thought we would. Dad’s body is in Vegas and must be transported to Los Angeles. We need a casket and all the trapping of the funeral, flowers, sign book, burial, service, etc.

 

And finally, our mother is getting treatments for colon cancer, and our dad was supporting her. Funds raised will go to helping her for the next few months, making sure she can keep their apartment while finishing her treatments.

 

Any help you can give helps to relieve the emotional and financial strain of his surviving family, and for that we thank you. Every share means his story is told again and again, reaching more audiences, and for that we thank you. If there’s anything I know about storytelling, it’s that the more people who hear it, the less of a burden it is to those who hold it.