Learning from Uncle Buck

Michael Sennett, or 'Uncle Buck' as we called him, has made a huge impact on my life, as well as many others. He is my fathers best friend, and I grew up with him being my uncle..but he really was a second dad to me. He was ALWAYS there when you needed him, night or day, rain or shine. I remember once my mom and dad couldn't get a babysitter for my brother and sister and I because we we're kind of bad kids- and Uncle Buck was over here in a heart beat. He let us eat ice cream and stay up past our bed time. I got a lacrosse stick for the first time in 5th grade, because I really wanted to play girls lacrosse. I had wrecked up the strings pretty badly, and in no time flat he restringed the entire stick. He came over every Christmas and Thanksgiving to be with us, and we had a riot with him. I always would take the mashed potatoes from him and we would fight over them. We always gave him the honor of saying the grace, because he was a devout christian and he said the best graces. The last time I saw Uncle Buck was in July. I had just bought new shoes, and decided to walk a mile over to my friends house- not thinking that the shoes were 6 inches high, and I would surely do damage in them. I walked out of the house, stumbling, and he looked at me and said, "Natalie. Be serious, you are going to break a leg in those shoes." I stuck my tounge out at him and he said, "You look like you could be an exotic dancer! =]" Sure enough, while walking that mile, I fell down the hill and broke my toe. I also remember being at his house once with my sister for a BBQ, and I asked if he had any 'kid movies' and he said, "No, I don't..but I think the most appropriate is called 'Maverick'."I'll never forget watching that with him, while my dad [Eddie Condon] and him watched a war movie upstairs, gun shots blasting throughout the house. He wasn't able to come to Christmas or Thanksgiving this year, but we still chatted on the phone. My sister had the opportunity to talk to him two days before he passed away, a chance I wish I could have had. I don't quite remember if I ever said I love you to him, but I'm sure that he knew it. I recently came across a poem that was read at the funeral of my best friend, who died on Easter of brain cancer. I Love you uncle buck, and I can't wait to see you in heaven. You are a true inspiration and hero to everyone you met. Thank you for staying so strong..when other people [myself included] were crumbling. I love you so incredibly much. xoxo


God saw Uncle Buck was getting tired
and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around him
and whispered, "Come with me."
With tear-filled eyes we watched him
suffer and fade away.
Although we loved him deeply,
we could not make him stay.
A Golden heart stopped beating,
hard-working hands put to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
he only takes the best