Community surprises neighbor with his last wish

Community surprises neighbor with his last wish

FRIENDS AND FAMILYOF A MAN WITH LATE-STAGE CANCERWANTED TO GIVE HIMA FOND FAREWELL.BUT WITH SOCIALGATHERINGS OFF THETABLE -- THAT WASEASIER SAID THANDONE.GILAT MELAMEDBRINGS US THESPECIAL SURPRISETHAT SHOWS OFF THESPIRIT OF 'BUFFALOSTRONG'.ON THIS QUIET STREETIN CHEEKTOWAGALIVES FRANKCARUANO."EVERYBODY LOVESFRANKIE, HE'S AN ALLAROUND GREAT GUY."CARUANO WASDIAGNOSED WITHLIVER CANCER ABOUT6 MONTHS AGO.HIS FAMILY LATERLEARNED THE 64 YEAROLD'S DAYS WERENUMBERED."WHEN I SEEN FRANKIEABOUT A MONTH AGOHE HAD JUST SAID IWANT TO SEE MYFRIENDS AND FAMILYTHAT'S ALL I REALLYCARE ABOUT."THEY WANTED TOTHROW CARUANO APARTY."WELL YOU COULDN'TREALLY HAVE A PARTYWITH THE SOCIALDISTANCING.SO INSTEAD.HONKSTHEY SURPRISED HIMWITH A PARADE."HONKS HOW YOU DOINFRANKIE"FAMILY AND FRIENDSROLLED DOWN THESTREETSIGNS IN HAND,WINDOWS PAINTED,BALLOONS BLOWINGIN THE BREEZE.ONE AFTERANOTHER"WE GOT SOME MORECOMING FOR YOUFRANKIE"AFTER ANOTHER."IT'S REALLY JUST AWAY FOR HIM TO SEEHIS FRIENDS AND HISFAMILY AND FOR HISFRIENDS AND FAMILYTO SEE HIM ONE LASTTIME.""HEY THANK YOU"FRIENDS WHOWORKED WITH HIM ATTHE BUFFALO WATERDEPARTMENT AREJUST AS THANKFUL TOSEE HIM."I WORKED WITHFRANKIE FOR 20YEARS, NOT A DAYWENT BY THAT WEDIDN'T LAUGH."CARUANO SERVEDTHE CITY FOR MORETHAN FOUR DECADES."THE NASTIER THATTHE WEATHER WAS,THE FUNNIER HE WAS.THE UGLIER THE JOBTHE TOUGHER THECONCRETE THEFUNNIER THE JOKESCAME FROM HIM, ANDHE WASN'T AFRAID OFANYTHING."A GOODBYE AS GRANDAS THE MANRECEIVING IT.IN CHEEKTOWAGA"WE LOVE YOU GUYSSO MUCH"GILAT MELAMED, 7