In Memory of My Loving Father, 'Dogbreath2U'

[Point6]

Thank you for sharing your post about your Dad. I will hug my daughters next chance I get. I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[AtlantaHusky]

Very sorry to hear this news. Thank you for your great tribute and story. Wishing comfort and peace to your family. RIP Dogbreath2U.

 

[HuskyV]

Pure class. Will be missed by all that were fortunate to cross paths. Cherish the memories.

 

[Fishy]

I saw the thread and hoped that my brain had twisted the words and I wasn't reading what I thought I was.

Just really, really sorry for Tom and his family. He was a good sort; we saw that here daily and anyone who met him along the way was that much more certain about it.

Just 62. Darn.

 

[geohusky]

So sorry for your loss. 62 is much too young, that's why you need to enjoy every day no matter what.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Very sorry for your loss. And at 62 this passing is much too early. But your father clearly would be smiling at the touching remembrance you shared with us.

As difficult as it must be, thank you for coming to the board and sharing with us, Kate. We will miss your dad also.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

My condolences.

I know it will hurt for quite a while (my father passed away nearly fifteen years ago and on some rate occasions I can still feel it) but there will be moments when you will draw quite a bit of warmth and comfort from things that will remind you of him,how good and caring a person he was and how loved and admired he was.

May God bless him.

 

[Greathusky]

Prayers and blessing from the Boneyard! He was always the voice of reason in this crazy place.

 

[boog204]

What a really touching tribute, Kate. My sincerest condolences to your family. Your dad was always a calm voice in a sea of total idiocy. You could count on him to contribute meaningfully and thoughtfully to any moment here regardless of how ridiculous the circumstance. While I never met him personally, I enjoyed the occasions where we could share insights on our beloved Huskies. 62 if far too young and this helps put many things in perspective. I hope someday my daughter will look at me with the same sort of reverence that you have towards your father. Your family is my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Hugo]

There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said and more eloquently than I can possibly convey. My prayers are with you and the family. May your dad rest in peace.

 

[Paesano]

My condolences as well. I lost my father at 54 and didn't realize until now that I never really grieved fully and got closure. He is fine now. For you, my hope is peace. Not until my son left for an internship in CA did I realize I am not there yet myself. Losing someone you are bonded with may be the toughest thing to experience.

 

[Bliss]

So very sorry for your loss.

 

[QDOG5]

My condolences to you, Kate, your Mom and brother and your entire family.

 

[Doginaus]

Sorry, I’ve been out of pocket for a while but I did want to add my 2 cents to this conversation. I know that this is a basketball forum, in particular Uconn basketball, and I understand that most people who posts or even just view these posts are Uconn basketball fans because you wouldn’t waste your time doing either if you weren’t. No doubt, we have a passion for all things Uconn basketball and our opinions, whether pro or con, are just that, opinions.

I know, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, we are just a username, but we are people who happen to have the same like, Uconn basketball, and we come here to this forum because this is where and who we are.

As important as these things (Uconn basketball) mean to us, there are other things a bit more important in life. As others have pointed out earlier; our family, friends and health are priorities with everything else falling in line below and behind them.

I was also saddened by the news of the passing of Dogbreath2u. Anytime anyone passes, it should cause us to put our life in perspective and bring our thoughts and actions back into focus. Unfortunately, we do take people and things for granted. We just expect that when we wake up each and every day, we just assume that; how it was yesterday is how it is going to be today. Not true, as many of us have lived it out.

As I mentioned earlier, at times, we get very passionate about what we believe, no problem with that, but, sometimes we may, unintentionally, lash out at what someone else said because of what we think; our valued opinion. I’m not saying not to be passionate about what you believe or like, but we can be civil and adult about how we say it to others, as others before us have been.

Sometimes, we may say things we regret (of course secretly, without anyone else knowing!), maybe something we wrote after we clicked on the “post” button. We wish we could take it back but it is too late, it is posted.

What will your last post be like? What will others think about you when you can no longer post; will the attitude of this forum be the same for you as it was when we found out that Dogbreath2u is no longer with us? Just something to think about.

Maybe, next time before you click the “post” button, you should read what you wrote, check it out and think about whether this is what you want to say and how you want to express, “your opinion”.

I apologize for the lengthy post. My intention is definitely not to be a “post” policeman; I’m just trying to point out that since reading all the nice and heartfelt posts regarding the passing of Dogbreath2u that it is possible to live without regrets about our words towards others, as he did. Again, it is also possible to be civil and adult in our posts and that when the time comes or arises, others will have the same reason to say a good word about us.

So, maybe, next time before you click the “post” button, you should read what you wrote, check it out and think about whether this is what you want to say and how you want to express, “your opinion”.

 

[8893]

Sorry, I’ve been out of pocket for a while but I did want to add my 2 cents to this conversation. I know that this is a basketball forum, in particular UConn basketball, and I understand that most people who posts or even just view these posts are UConn basketball fans because you wouldn’t waste your time doing either if you weren’t. No doubt, we have a passion for all things UConn basketball and our opinions, whether pro or con, are just that, opinions.

I know, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, we are just a username, but we are people who happen to have the same like, UConn basketball, and we come here to this forum because this is where and who we are.

As important as these things (UConn basketball) mean to us, there are other things a bit more important in life. As others have pointed out earlier; our family, friends and health are priorities with everything else falling in line below and behind them.

I was also saddened by the news of the passing of Dogbreath2u. Anytime anyone passes, it should cause us to put our life in perspective and bring our thoughts and actions back into focus. Unfortunately, we do take people and things for granted. We just expect that when we wake up each and every day, we just assume that; how it was yesterday is how it is going to be today. Not true, as many of us have lived it out.

As I mentioned earlier, at times, we get very passionate about what we believe, no problem with that, but, sometimes we may, unintentionally, lash out at what someone else said because of what we think; our valued opinion. I’m not saying not to be passionate about what you believe or like, but we can be civil and adult about how we say it to others, as others before us have been.

Sometimes, we may say things we regret (of course secretly, without anyone else knowing!), maybe something we wrote after we clicked on the “post” button. We wish we could take it back but it is too late, it is posted.

What will your last post be like? What will others think about you when you can no longer post; will the attitude of this forum be the same for you as it was when we found out that Dogbreath2u is no longer with us? Just something to think about.

Maybe, next time before you click the “post” button, you should read what you wrote, check it out and think about whether this is what you want to say and how you want to express, “your opinion”.

I apologize for the lengthy post. My intention is definitely not to be a “post” policeman; I’m just trying to point out that since reading all the nice and heartfelt posts regarding the passing of Dogbreath2u that it is possible to live without regrets about our words towards others, as he did. Again, it is also possible to be civil and adult in our posts and that when the time comes or arises, others will have the same reason to say a good word about us.

So, maybe, next time before you click the “post” button, you should read what you wrote, check it out and think about whether this is what you want to say and how you want to express, “your opinion”.

Good thoughts. In essence, I think you're saying that it would benefit many of us to think "What would Dogbreath2U do?" before posting, which is very sound advice indeed imo, and also a very fitting tribute to the man.

 

[BlueMAB]

My condolences go out to the entire McAuliffe family. Selfishly hoping I never wrote anything ill-mannered to him, as he was obviously a very well-respected man.

RIP @Dogbreath2U

 

[UCweCONN]

Wow. That sucks. It must've been sudden because he was actively posting last week. I'll pour out a Rolling Rock and eat some wings in his honor. Gone too soon.

 

[elmcityboy]

hi kate,

you don't know me, but i think we have mutual friends from the university of new hampshire (zac, ezra, shayla, etc.)

this broke my heart to read. if your dad had this much of an impact on our message board, i can only imagine what he meant to his family, his patients, and his community. my dad is a similar age, and i would be lost without him. i'm thinking about you and your family this week.

thank you for posting.

joe.

 

[zls44]

Awful news. Sorry for your loss, he will be truly missed. A great fan but an even better guy!

 

[Rewster]

So sorry for your loss.

I am happy for the response you and your family have received.
It's easy to conduct yourself poorly in the nameless/faceless world of the Internet.
The fact that your father did not says a tremendous amount about him in my opinion.

Thank you for the picture as well. Nice to put a face to a name and to see what a beautiful daughter he raised.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Hello all,

I am in writing this in respect to my beloved father, Thomas M. McAuliffe, known here as Dogbreath2U, who passed away this past Friday night at the age of 62.

My father was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in the nearby charming suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. He attended Rockhurst High School where he played for nearly every sports team, including football, track and baseball.

After receiving his PhD in Clinical Psychology from St Louis University and meeting my mother, Patricia FitzGerald, they traveled around the country together, chasing clinical internships and job prospects.

Eventually, they ended up back in Connecticut, where my mother had grown up and spent most of her life outside of her PhD. He started working at Newington Children Hospital before joining CREC in East Hartford as a Psychologist, where he helped children with developmental and emotional disabilities for over twenty years. Here, my dad's love affair with UConn's Men Basketball began. It didn't take long for me to catch the same bug he had.

In 2004, when I was in 5th grade, my teacher had us fill out NCAA basketball brackets.
I had made brackets for both the men and women, and under the influence of my father, had the men and women taking it all. And, they did. That year we went to the celebration parade together.

As I grew older, I understood more and more the sense of place the UConn basketball had created for my father. After a long day of work, I'd find my dad typing away on a message board or excitedly live-chatting during a game. He became involved with the community service aspect of the site too, helping to raise money in 2012 for Jim Calhoun retirement medical gift. He derived such joy from being a part of this vibrant basketball community. He was a brilliant man with a brilliant heart.

Tom is survived by my wonderful mother, Patricia FitzGerald, my loving brother, Sean McAuliffe, as well as his mother, Mildred McAuliffe.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held Tuesday June 20 at 11am in the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday June 19 from 4-7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the CT. Children’s Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT. 06106. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.

Should any of you wish to get in contact with me, you can email me at ktmc357(at)gmail.com.

Thank you all for creating a community my dad was always so fond of.

Best wishes,
Kate McAuliffe

Kate, I am so so sorry for your loss. There are folks that you look for when you walk into a room and there are voices you listen to on forums like we have here and your Dad was one of them. He will be missed by many.
Ed Sargent

 

[Excalibur]

Kate, your dad was one of the few people on this forum who would always address others as if he were speaking to them face to face as opposed to behind the curtain of anonymity that is an internet forum. That he could exhibit that kind of class and respect in this environment is a credit to his character. That you saw fit to take even a few moments in your time of grief to inform us of his passing is proof that you share those same traits. May you find comfort in the love of family and friends, and pride in the knowledge that so many people held your father in such high esteem.

 

[Big Calihouns]

So sorry for your loss.

Hello all,

I am in writing this in respect to my beloved father, Thomas M. McAuliffe, known here as Dogbreath2U, who passed away this past Friday night at the age of 62.

My father was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in the nearby charming suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. He attended Rockhurst High School where he played for nearly every sports team, including football, track and baseball.

After receiving his PhD in Clinical Psychology from St Louis University and meeting my mother, Patricia FitzGerald, they traveled around the country together, chasing clinical internships and job prospects.

Eventually, they ended up back in Connecticut, where my mother had grown up and spent most of her life outside of her PhD. He started working at Newington Children Hospital before joining CREC in East Hartford as a Psychologist, where he helped children with developmental and emotional disabilities for over twenty years. Here, my dad's love affair with UConn's Men Basketball began. It didn't take long for me to catch the same bug he had.

In 2004, when I was in 5th grade, my teacher had us fill out NCAA basketball brackets.
I had made brackets for both the men and women, and under the influence of my father, had the men and women taking it all. And, they did. That year we went to the celebration parade together.

As I grew older, I understood more and more the sense of place the UConn basketball had created for my father. After a long day of work, I'd find my dad typing away on a message board or excitedly live-chatting during a game. He became involved with the community service aspect of the site too, helping to raise money in 2012 for Jim Calhoun retirement medical gift. He derived such joy from being a part of this vibrant basketball community. He was a brilliant man with a brilliant heart.

Tom is survived by my wonderful mother, Patricia FitzGerald, my loving brother, Sean McAuliffe, as well as his mother, Mildred McAuliffe.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held Tuesday June 20 at 11am in the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday June 19 from 4-7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the CT. Children’s Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT. 06106. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.

Should any of you wish to get in contact with me, you can email me at ktmc357(at)gmail.com.

Thank you all for creating a community my dad was always so fond of.

Best wishes,
Kate McAuliffe

Condolences to you and your family. RIP #huskiesforever

 

[TheRogers]

RIP. What a wonderful tribute.

 

[WallStreetHusky]

As you can tell by my post count, I dont deal with many of the posters here on the Yard. While I dont recall conversing with your dad, what I do know about him is that he must have been a remarkable man to raise such a fine daughter. Your grace, thoughtfulness, and the LOVE in your post speak to the man better than anything or anyone else could. God Bless you, your dad, and your family during this difficult time.