The Big Man

I never was a fan of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band prior to about 5 years ago.  That happily coincides with the time that I met my Gia.  She was and is a huge fan.  And through her, I've learned to appreciate the man and the band and the music.

So it was with a great deal of sadness that we heard about the stroke that Clarence Clemons suffered on Sunday.  Much more so for Gia, who had recently met the Big Man several times.  She's a bit shy about posting pics on the web, but we've got some real good ones of her and Clarence taken by a mutual friend of the two.

You see, she had recently come into contact with that mutual friend who is a musician.  He began working with Clarence on a semi-regular basis and he knew that he had to let Gia know, seeing as she was the biggest Bruce fan he knew.  We even got a call at home from Clarence himself one night.  That was hilarious.

So she has taken a couple of trips down to Florida to see Clarence and her old friend perform in the past few months.  And Clarence always took the time to spend some time with her.  And after she would leave, he would always ask about her.  Wanted to know how she was doing. Says as much about Clarence as it does about Gia.  He really seems to be a good guy.

He's undergone two surgeries so far after the stroke.  Reports have varied from him being in critical to serious condition to recovering.  Hard to tell at the moment. But all of our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his fans.

Hang tough, Big Man.