My Eulogy

We are here today to celebrate the life of Marc David Casciani and to say goodbye to a wonderful man. Death is always sad, but if there were ever a case to celebrate, this would be it.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Louis Casciani III, the first of his seven grandchildren and the namesake of Louis Casciani Jr., my great-great grandfather who was decorated with a Purple Heart for his service in the Pacific Theater in World War II.

I want to thank you for coming today to mourn the loss of my grandfather, Marc, whom I affectionately call Pap C.

Pap C was born October 8, 1969, in Monongahela, PA. However, I think of him as being from Wexford, where he raised my dad, Dallas, and aunt Jarah.

In the insurance industry, Pap C helped to build a “shining city on a hill,” which would not have been possible without the contributions of many of you here today. He leaves a legacy at The Fedeli Group, which we are very proud of.

What I am most grateful for is the testimony Pap C leaves behind at MindWolves.com, his crowning achievement. It is the fruit of his labor, pain, and joy. I know God in Heaven is greeting him with open arms saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant!“

I discovered this statement in one of Pap C’s writings titled, Hope & Optimism.

Hope and optimism aren’t the same thing. Optimism is the belief that something bad will turn out well according to what you want to happen. Hope is the absolute confidence that every part of your life will ultimately make sense because it’s what God wants to happen. That’s a promise, but you have to love God for it to come to fruition. That promise is stated in the Bible, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

That verse was Pap C’s favorite verse in the whole Bible.

Pap C’s purpose in life was to encourage people to “Feed Their Good Wolf” and discover their uniqueness. As a player-coach, he helped them put a stake in the ground and take control of their future, the one that God wanted them to have. The one that was intended for them.?He lived and taught that although bad things happen in life, when you put your whole life together every piece of it works together for the good if you love God and are in His will. To those he helped, he was called Coach C. In return, he affectionately called them his athletes.

Pap C helped people build meaningful relationships. First with God. Then with one other. He helped them experience joy, no matter the circumstance. He built a community around the world, The MindWolves Neighborhood, whose members exhibit character qualities conducive to living a life of significance and contribute their stories to the MindWolves social network.

A week ago today, I made a surprise visit to Pap C at his home in Wexford during lunch. When I got there, he was already eating with his French Bulldog, Manny. Their backs were facing me so they could not see me coming. As I tip-toed, I noticed them enjoying each other’s company. It reminded me how much Pap C cherished the “moments of life,” a love I saw him model consistently with Gram C (Deborah), his high school sweetheart and bride of 70 years. He taught me that our main purpose in life is to love and be loved, and he demonstrated this over and over.

When I tapped him on his shoulder, he turned, looked at me, and started to cry. He was so happy to see me. I pulled up a chair and sat down, Manny jumped on my lap, and I had one of the best conversations I ever had with him. He had been through a lot in the last three months since his heart attack, and I could see the effect on his body, yet he was full of life. His mind was as sharp as ever. We talked about everything he and Manny were planning to do that day, and he shared the topic of his next story at MindWolves, which was slated to be published this Sunday morning, a weekly ritual he had performed the past 48 years without fail.? He also repeatedly told me how much he loved me.

As I was leaving, I had a feeling it might be the last time I’d talk with him. It was. I am so grateful for getting that opportunity.

What became of Pap C’s final story at MindWolves? Well, he wrote it, but I found it in draft form. So I decided to take the baton and publish it for him today. In hindsight, I believe God gave us that final moment together as a passing of the torch. MindWolves is his gift to me. It’s my inheritance.

Goodbye, Pap C. Don’t worry about Manny. I’ll take care of him. And don’t worry about your beloved neighborhood, it’s in good hands.

Rest in peace. I love you. You were so loved. You’ll be sorely missed. May we be reunited with you someday in Heaven along with Gram C and all the French Bulldogs you guys had together.

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There’s no better exercise than to write how you want to be remembered. You’re in control. Don’t waste another second.?Feed Your Good Wolf.?

Humbly,

Marc (the future Pap C)