May 15, 2018

To our dear friends,

My impetuous and Homeric husband, Nicholas Joseph Coleman, recent gold medal winner of the 2018 Midwest Fleadh recitation competition in St. Louis, is leaving this earth. On Sunday night, after a beautiful weekend of music and craic with the kids, he suffered a massive stroke that he could not have survived. All six of his kids have been at his bedside to say goodbye, surrounded by our family and unbelievably generous friends and neighbors who have held us up with stories, poems, and prayers, and so many baked goods and pot roasts on the porch. We are overwhelmed by your kindness.

Nick wanted to be an organ donor, and so today we are beginning the process of making some good come from this heartbreak. The LifeSource team is mobilizing now, and at some point soon a donor flag (and one from our own vast collection of Irish Republic banners) will be flying in his honor at Regions Hospital. I ask you all to hold him in the light, raise a glass, shake your fist or anything else that would honor his big heart and big mouth.

Nick loved his life, and left absolutely nothing that mattered to him unsaid. We are gutted, but grateful for all of your kindness today and the days to come.