It was Fran Delaney night on that second Tuesday in June, 2007.  That particular Cruise Night in Norwich, Ct. was dedicated to Fran who was quite the car enthusiast. He was proud of his ’57 Chevy and his ’67 Chevelle S 96 Super Sport. At one time he even had his own race car. He loved life and was loved by everyone who was close to him. He was also somebody who fought a tough battle with multiple myeloma. Yet, through his myeloma years, he always held onto his optimism and kindness, and he would give you the shirt off his back, or at least his jacket.

A few years ago, Fran and I were both being given an award for our fund-raising efforts at a myeloma gala. It was a formal, black tie event. It was a mild night, and I didn’t want to wear my tuxedo jacket during the hour-long drive from New Haven to New London where the event was being held. So, I took it off while thinking that I had put it into the back seat of the car, but I really left it on a chair in my living room. I didn’t realize that I was jacket-less until I reached New London, and by then, it was too late to find another jacket. But Fran came to my rescue – he insisted that I wear his jacket. Both of us were making presentations, but he would rather see that I was in full-dress, even if he was in his shirt-sleeves. So, with his jacket, I walked around with that complete spiffy, formal look while Fran, well, just looked very comfortable and happy. That was Fran – someone who was filled with joy, especially when helping other people.

It was that joy that was so attractive to Kathy Kane, nearly 30 years ago when they first met. Kathy was roller skating with her friends, and she wasn’t doing so well. Actually, she could not skate, and her embarrassment made her retreat to a nearby bar. While there, she received some unwanted attention from one of the patrons. That’s when Fran saw her for the first time, and in his knight-in-shining armor way, approached Kathy to see if she needed to be rescued. He asked her to dance, and that began their romance. Kathy was a little cautious about going out with Fran at first, but it was not long after when they were married. Their song was “You Light Up My Life,” and that is how Kathy described Fran. She said, “Fran had a special way of shining his light on everyone he met, and that light will shine on all the lives he has touched.”