Dearest Herman,

Have not forgotten you, miss you, love you and think of you every single day. Our daughter is now in her last year of high school, as she wishes and strives for college at Hofstra University. You would be so proud of her. She is beautiful and looks a lot like you the older she gets except for the white skin she gets from me lol. I remember we talked so so much about that when she was born and into a toddler. I wish so much you were here. I love you and so does your daughter more than you maybe can ever imagine.. I hope you are in peace my love, my friend.

Message from Connie

December 31, 2017 6:19 PM

Missing you so much Herman. Our daughter is getting ready to go drive to her friends house for New Years' Eve to spend the night. I sit here worrying so much and if you were here you would say, she will be fine. Miss talking about these things miss you every single day love you forever Herman. Well going into 2018. Happy New Year. Will never be the same without you.

A candle was lit by Connie on December 31, 2017 6:14 PM

Message from Connie and Kristin

October 29, 2017 3:47 PM

Well today is October 29th 2017 would have been another birthday for you. Missed still so so much and we think of you always. Love and miss terribly, Kristin and Connie. RIP and happy birthday Herm.

A candle was lit by Connie on October 29, 2017 1:29 PM

Message from Connie Smith

October 28, 2017 11:16 PM

Happy Birthday soon Herm! Love and miss you so very much.

Message from Connie Smith

August 21, 2017 4:59 PM

Dearest Herman,

It is so hard to believe that today at this very time I received that awful unforgettable phone call from the coroner's office from Rick Pender. Yes one year ago and I suffer terribly for your loss as Kristin does as well. We both have separate ways to deal with this horrible tragedy but we both still suffer. For those who think I shouldn't suffer or I should be done grieving, have hurt me very much during this terrible process of dealing with the loss of my daughter's father you, Herman. If you were here, you would understand as you really always did have a good heart. Yes, sometimes you were angry but a lot of times you were funny good hearted. Kristin will go for her drivers license tomorrow, can you believe it? Yep, our girl driving. She looks and acts so much like you. She goes to the gym, is an honor student as she always was and wants to be a Doctor. Doing good. We will never forget you, Love always, Connie

A candle was lit by Connie and Kristin on August 21, 2017 10:39 AM

A candle was lit by Connie and Kristin on July 22, 2017 9:06 PM

Message from Connie Smiith

July 22, 2017 9:04 PM

Miss you so much. Miss talking to you about our daughter. Miss fighting with you and all. Wish you were here to see our beautiful, brave, strong daughter go through life like a lightning bolt. She wants to be a doctor and I really ;think she will be Herman. Thank you for telling me last year I was a good mother, meant and means a lot to me for you to say that. Sometimes I feel like you are the only one that knew that. Talk soon. Love and peace always, Connie

A candle was lit by Donna Acierno on June 23, 2017 10:35 PM

A candle was lit by Connie and Kristin on February 23, 2017 6:05 PM

Message from Connie Smith and Kristin Ortiz

February 23, 2017 6:04 PM

Hey Herman..Not going to believe this but me and Kristin went for our very first driving test in a Church parking lot with only about 10 cars. OMG...you would have been so much better at this than me, but doing the best I can..so scared but getting braver..thanks to a great therapist and couple good people I can only count on one hand but nevertheless, please help keep her safe. Love and miss you for eternity.
Kris and Connie..

Message from Connie Smith

February 23, 2017 8:08 AM

Herman,
Yesterday our daughter went for her drivers permit and passed! I told her how proud you would have been of her and I reminded her of the time last year when you asked her if she wanted to learn how to drive lol. Anyway, wish me luck as I teach her how to drive...now I really need you to watch over us. Miss and Love you. Connie

Message from Connie Smith and Kristin Ortiz

February 7, 2017 9:54 PM

Herman,
Our daughter just turned 16 years old. We miss you terribly. Please watch over us as we need you even now. Love and miss you forever. Connie and Kristin.

A candle was lit by Kristin Ortiz and Connie Smith on February 7, 2017 9:50 PM

A candle was lit by Connie Smith on January 10, 2017 7:39 PM

Message from Connie Smith

January 10, 2017 7:38 PM

Miss you terribly. Love you forever. Still is horrible.

Message from Connie and Kristin

October 29, 2016 12:48 PM

Happy Birthday Herman. Today you would have been 51 years old. I am sorry you are not here for Kristin and I to say Happy Birthday. RIP. Love, Kristin and Connie

A candle was lit by Connie Smith on October 29, 2016 12:46 PM

Message from Connie Smith

October 7, 2016 10:09 PM

Herman,
I am so confused, so still saddened, so sickened. I need to try to let you go from our life, but I just cannot. There is more to be determined. Please help me figure this out, show me some kind of sign, please. This is where I go to talk to you since Kristin and I have no place to go to talk to you. So please try to help us get through this, help me.. get through this. I need to move on and cannot. I feel the grieving horrible pain in my heart yet.

A candle was lit by Connie on October 7, 2016 10:03 PM

Message from Connie

September 22, 2016 10:46 PM

I am still grieving terribly, miss you and waiting for you to come back. I miss you so much Herman. I am so sorry if you felt alone and suffered alone til the end. I will always remember you and never forget you.

Love, always, Connie

A candle was lit by Connie on September 22, 2016 10:39 PM

Message from Connie Smith (Our daughter, Kristin's mother)

September 5, 2016 11:09 PM

Oh Herman, the father of your only child, Kristin, our only child. She will miss you terribly. I will miss you terribly. While your pain and suffering has ended, ours has just begun. I know we were not always on the same page, but I know you loved our daughter, I know you did. I remember, when she was 6 months old and you said to me," Connie, just enjoy her, don't be so worried about her, just enjoy her as she will grow up so fast." Remember, when she was in the born 7weeks early, and she stayed in the Nicu. I was a mess and so were you. All went well for several years, and then it was time to go on living apart. And we did. But years later, we realized our daughter was so important that we needed to renew your relationship, mine too. We put our lives aside, hoping to have a good life for her. Moved in together, yet again, as we desperately wanted a stable life for all of us in many ways. It didn't work out. But we still wanted to move on and wanted to still remain together, as we parted. Kristin was just starting school, soon to be driving, soon to have proms, jobs, graduation, and college. I am so sorry you won't be here for these wonderful times to come. I know if you were here, you would want her to know how much you really did love her. You just had other problems, problems I wish I could have helped you work out, figure out. My God, I am so sorry I could not see the signs. You know I would have helped you. I know we had arguments, I know we had fights, but we also had some good memories. I will never understand how another person could put you in such a place that you couldn't go on. I'm so sorry Herman. So sorry I didn't see, didn't see any signs. I know you love Kristin, and I will try and remind her of that throughout her life. I will never know what you were thinking besides your heartbreak over another woman. But I don't know if I will ever understand, how our precious daughter, how your mother and father, sister, and family wasn't enough to want to keep you on this earth in our lives. However, I will not judge anymore, either. I will never forget you as Kristin Nicole Ortiz's father. I will never forget our joyful parenting times. I will forget the bad, and there were many. But know that I will always have a place for you in my heart. For those of you that were talking or texting Herman hours before his death, I am so sorry you didn't know my number to call. I am so sorry no one could help him. The unbearable heartfelt grief we feel is so overwhelming that I just hope each day or week gets easier. Kristin, my darling daughter, I will love you for both your father and your mother, for the rest of your life, for the rest of my life. I will never leave you and I love you sweet girl. We will be ok. We will make it through together. Live your dreams never give up. Herman, please, finally rest in peace and look over our girl as she lives the wonderful life she deserves. Love, always, Connie. ruff meow.

A candle was lit by Connie on August 28, 2016 10:31 AM

A candle was lit by Margeny Rodriguez on August 27, 2016 1:48 PM

A candle was lit by Yolanda Whitesell on August 26, 2016 11:17 PM

Message from Jennifer Rutledge Johnson

August 24, 2016 2:28 PM

To those closest to Herman, my sincere condolences. Herman, you sure will be missed. May you rest in peace with the Lord. To family members and friends, my heart goes out to all of you. Images of the brother to my dear friend running around with us when we were young is very prominent. May his presence continue in our hearts.

A candle was lit by Jennifer Rutledge Johnson on August 24, 2016 2:21 PM