Justice for Jim

Jim - 31 years old today

2012-01-11T09:10:00.005-05:00

Another birthday, another year without Jim.

He would have been 31 years old today. That in itself seems amazing to me.

Jim gone from this earth isn't amazing, it's shocking. Someday Jim I hope that we will have justice for you.

Happy Birthday, Jim. Your family and friends love you very much.

Love, MOM

Where would Jim be for Christmas 2011?

2011-12-24T13:27:00.005-05:00

I have been thinking about Jim all day today. If he were alive, what would he be doing? Where would he be living? Would he be married? Have a child? Home for Christmas? Probably not...he loved to downhill ski but he didn't like the cold winter weather of Michigan. Yah, he'd have found a beach, that's where he would be today. He loved the sun, sand and water. I love you and miss you so much Jim. Here's a picture of you and Julie at the beach.

You can't forget someone like Jim

2011-11-28T19:58:00.002-05:00

It seems like everyday my heart aches for Jim. Every day I shed a tear and every day I think of him and how much he has missed. All of his friends have moved on. They are getting engaged, married, having babies, working hard in their careers and just plain living....something that Jim doesn't get to do - live, get engaged, marry, have children or have a job/career.

I know his friends have moved on, but I also know they have not forgotten Jim. You can't easily forget someone like Jim...ever.

Jim, today as always you are loved and missed.

Jim's MOM

Sunflower Surprise!

2011-09-18T19:55:00.011-04:00

Friends sent us two walnut trees - actually walnut twigs - to plant in memory of Jim three years ago. Only one of the walnut twigs made it; and, now it looks very much like a tree. To my surprise a single sweet sunflower (a flower I like to draw, a flower I associate with Jim) took root this summer at the base of the walnut tree, grew and bloomed, poking its way right out the middle of the tree. When it was discovered I promptly kissed its sweet little face as if it were Jim saying, "Hi!, it's me, Mom!" Thank you, Jim....I love you and miss you so much. Love, MOM

Summertime 2011

2011-07-29T22:23:00.002-04:00

Jim was a lover of the sun and all the possibilities of what could be had on a hot summer day. We've had some great "Jim days" this summer. Jim you are loved and so very missed. Love, MOM

A little boy's guardian angel

2011-05-13T23:24:00.008-04:00

Jim added a new little one to his guardian angel duties when Julie gave birth to the sweetest, most precious little baby boy, Luca James Mario Meloni, on May 7th.

Luca, the proud owner of two middle names - that of Uncle Jim and Uncle Mario who passed before Luca could meet them. I can assure you though that Luca will do his middle names proud and that Uncle Jim and Uncle Mario will watch over our new little one.

A Star has been born! Welcome Luca. WE LOVE YOU!

Joanne (Grandma)
Jim's MOM

Three years already

2011-04-10T22:44:00.004-04:00

This bumper sticker was posted in at least 200 locations in N. Miami today, April 10, 2011 in an effort to to find that one person with a conscience....that one person who knows who murdered Jim. The anniversary of Jim's death is tomorrow, April 11th. Jim was killed in his apartment in broad daylight. It is impossible to believe that no one heard anything; incomprehensible that the murderer hasn't told someone. The murderer took advantage of Jim's kindness and compassion for others. The murderer is a loser and the ultimate scum of the earth...so what are you protecting him/her for?? Jim's family has suffered a great loss. A wonderful young man is gone. Jim will never come back to us, but we plead for and demand, justice for Jim. Please help.

Be My Valentine

2011-02-14T09:11:00.002-05:00

I have a small painting hanging in my living room that I did for Jim for Valentine's Day 2008, sent to him just two months before he died. He had it in his room when we went there. I wish he still had it - that he was living in Las Vegas, all happy and content. I sure do miss you, Jim.

Love and Happy Valentine's Day to my precious son.

Joanne, Jim's MOM

Missing Jim

2011-02-06T19:13:00.001-05:00

I missed him yesterday, and the day before. He will always be missed.

Thinking of my boy

2011-01-22T19:45:00.002-05:00

I've spent the afternoon and evening going through Jim's stuff. His whole life is crammed into a big box in the basement. How could that be?? I continue to look for clues to his death, but the clues aren't there. I often go to bed at night thinking that Jim will come to me with the answer, but he never does. The nightmare isn't going to go away....ever. And, the answers will never come....ever. Jim's MOM

Christmas without Jim

2010-12-24T22:39:00.002-05:00

Jim, you will be so missed tomorrow, Christmas Day.....one of your favorite holidays. I love you very much and miss you each and every day. Love, MOM

Thankful I am

2010-11-24T22:34:00.002-05:00

How thankful I am that I had Jim for 27 years! He taught me much and my memories of him are of happy times, humor and laughter. I hope you, too, will take a few minutes tomorrow to reflect on what you are most thankful for. Remember Jim in your prayers around the Thanksgiving table, and as you eat your turkey with all the fixings, I am sure he'll be eating his favorite dinner....a peanut butter sandwich with a side of chips and applesauce.

Love,
Joanne (Jim's MOM)
Thanksgiving 2010

Precious Moments By The Sea

2010-09-24T11:23:00.002-04:00

I joined a grief writing group on line. The instructor is a writer with several books published. The 2nd exercise of the 6 week course is to write a poem that relates to your lost love one. I chose to write about the last time Julie, Jim and I were all together...alone just the three of us...almost exactly one year before Jim's death. I wanted to share my poem with everyone. I really like it and hope you do too. The setting is South Beach Miami, Florida.

Precious Moments By The Sea
by: Joanne (Jim's MOM)

The sun sparkles on ocean waves
Clear, bright and aqua blue
They walk along the lapping shore
Toes covered in a sandy glue

I watch as they walk on
Listen as the stories unfold
Laughter bounces on balmy breeze
They are precious to behold

This memory finds me often
The perfectness of us three
Sealed in my heart forever
Precious moments by the sea

Message from a friend

2010-09-08T09:47:00.003-04:00

When Jim was about 10years old (maybe younger, I can't remember), he learned to ski at his babysitter's place at Higgins Lake. He was a natural. I suspect that Jim was skiing right along side of Brooke last weekend.
Brooke is the granddaughter of Jim's sitter, Suzie and daughter of Bruce (Suzie's son) Jim loved Suzie and Dick and their kids: Bruce, Janice and Darlene....and he especially loved going up to Suzie and Dick's cottage at the end of summer every year. I have only happy memories from those days. If I could go back in time, that is exactly where I'd go.

Here's the email I received from Janice today:

Maybe you've already heard but Brooke just learned how to water-ski and it all happened on Jim's ski's you gave Bruce. It was so cool. It only took a few days and now she looks like a pro. Bruce was so proud of her. We were out on the pontoon at Higgins Lake and Bruce and Brooke were celebrating when Bruce said "You remember whose ski's these are?" Brooke said "Jimmie's!" She yelled out, "Jimmie would be so proud!" "Thanks Jimmie!"

It was such a cool moment. It could of only been better if you were there to see and hear! It was an ultimate moment!

Knew you would want to know!

Love ya,

Janice

Neverending Summer

2010-08-25T11:45:00.004-04:00

Jim loved the warmth and sunshine of summer. When he was a kid you rarely found him in the house, as if the days weren't long enough and the summer too short. He like Julie, walked early, barely spending any time crawling. He found his legs and took off at a run. I can still see him peeling out (no pun intended) on that yellow banana-shaped riding toy that he just loved as a little guy. He must have had the strongest legs a 2 year old could have because he could make it up the hill in front of our house as quick as he made it down. He was an awesome skateboarder,too, although that did drive me nuts. He was obsessed with it and I always worried that he was going to get hurt. Anyway, I do digress...I just wanted to say that as the summer starts to wind down and kids head back to school I think of Jim and his resistance to summer's end. His dream...to become a beach bum. I guess that's where he is today, running in the sand, enjoying the warmth and sunshine of a neverending summer. Joanne, Jim's MOM

Butterflies in Jim's Garden

2010-07-27T20:08:00.004-04:00

Jim's garden continues to bloom. It is so beautiful. I took a couple pictures of a butterfly on the butterfly bush in the garden. Enjoy. Joanne (Jim's MOM)

Blue skies

2010-07-03T19:57:00.002-04:00

The blue skies of this weekend remind me of Jim and his beautiful blue eyes. Blue, his favorite color....mine, too, come to think of it. I miss Jim so very much. Today as I was driving home from Ann Arbor and I looked out at the blue skies, I shook my fist, screamed and cried, I just want him back .... I want to know who killed him....I want, I want, I want. I am impatient with God for not answering my questions.

Joanne
Jim's MOM

Guardian Angel

2010-06-17T06:51:00.004-04:00

We name our children after people we love, admire, someone from the family tree, or simply a name that we like. Parents often disagree, but once the child is named, it seems as if their name could have been no other.

Jim was not named after anyone. Jim's father said, "If it's a boy, we'll name him Hank!" I hope I'm not offending any Hanks out there, but I quickly said, "NO!" Then one day we were standing in what would later becomes Jim's room and his dad said, "I like the name Jim". So Jim it was! We knew that we needed to give Jim the proper name of James, but from the beginning he was: Jimmy, Jimbo, JimBob, and by late elementary school, he was pretty much just Jim. Among his friends in high school he was Jim and JimmyB.

Jim loved his name. He liked to write it out using his finger in the sand, the snow, the dewy wet car window and in the 'not quite set cement'....especially if he were told not to!

So it gives me joy when others want to remember and honor Jim by using his name in some way. Parker James and William James, Jim Bowerman is your guardian angel....

With love and remembrance today and always,
Joanne (Jim's MOM)

A New Spring

2010-05-26T15:44:00.002-04:00

Jim's memorial garden is all in bloom. Life moves on despite what happens around us. I thought I would share a few pictures of the garden with those of you who check in occasionally. Nothing new to report...still trying to get answers.

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T23:22:00.002-04:00

The day I became your mom, Jim, was a wonderful day for me. I remember so many great moments of our time together. You were such a sweet child and so dog-gone cute! I sure do miss you. Love, MOM

Anniversary

2010-04-11T13:15:00.003-04:00

It's been two years. I miss you so much, Jim. I think about you all the time and today because it is the 2 year anniversary of your death, I cry even harder. Julie and I continue to seek justice for you. We will not give up. Love, MOM

2 years

2010-04-09T08:30:00.002-04:00

I had a good day yesterday...despite the knowledge that I'll be in Florida on April 11. Just two years ago on April 14th I proclaimed the end to Florida - other then for the investigation of Jim's murder and hopefully a trial one day, I was through....wasn't coming back! Well that lasted briefly - my dislike still strong and fully grounded, I must 'face the music' and go to Florida for other reasons. It is a warm place - tropical and pretty, full of friends and family, sunshine and people who do care. I found more people who care yesterday. They care that Jim had life and was a contributor to this world. That makes me feel good.

Jim is missed every moment of every day. I get sad easily and I cry often. I pray for understanding and probably will never really understand. I struggle with that. I pray for answers and slowly...very slowly 'tidbits' (as I call them), are delivered.

I dreamt of Jim again last night. I was in a room that resembled a hotel lobby. I thought I saw him at the desk and ran to see him...the man turned, it was not Jim. I walked outside, still searching, and there he was. He was sitting in a chair and we both burst into to tears. We sobbed and held each other. I then woke up. I felt as if we had cried over his death. I don't know the meaning of the dream, but I know how much I love that young man and how much I miss him.

Please pray for answers to Jim's murder. It's been two years, it's time to know.

Love, Joanne (Jim's MOM)

Jim in my dreams

2010-03-10T10:18:00.002-05:00

I saw Jim the other night in my dreams. He was sitting in a chair in my new art room. Perfect that he was there since the art room has a large window that looks right out into Jim's memorial garden. He was happy, smiling and dressed in blue long sleeved shirt, blue jeans and had on socks with the gray toes and heals. His eyes were the bluest blue. I was so excited to see him and told him so. He said he couldn't stay long. I bent down and kissed him firmly on the cheek and he gave me a hug. I then woke up. I wasn't depressed that I didn't have more time with him, I was simply elated that I got to kiss him and receive his wonderful hug. A moment with Jim was like sunshine on a spring day....I had a burst of energy and alot of happiness. I plummeted into sadness yesterday but I wouldn't trade that moment for anything - in fact I hope I have more 'visits' from Jim.
Joanne (Jim's MOM)

Thinking of Jim

2010-02-19T21:46:00.002-05:00

I'm thinking of Jim tonight. Missing him....wishing I could see him one more time....although that would not be enough, I know. Just anything, something is all I ask.

Mojo in the morning

2010-02-03T07:31:00.002-05:00

Julie and I visited the Detroit station 95.5 on Monday and had a very brief reading done on air by highly respected medium, Rebecca Rosen. Although there were others also invited, Jim was the first to push forward...he apparently wanted to be heard! Julie and I really felt Jim's presence and wished he would have said more and that we would have had more time to ask questions. If you would like to hear the message, go to: www.mojointhemorning.com Click on the Listen link and from the dropdown select: listen to podcast. Scroll down to locate the three segments entitled Rebecca Rosen. The one labeled Pt 2 is where she begins with us. If you cannot locate the podcast from the list, look in the archives.

We love you Jim.

Love, Joanne (Jim's MOM)