Remembrance - by Kristin Engelbretson

I feel so lucky to have had Sohei as my uncle. I am so happy that he married my Aunt Valeria (a.k.a. Aunt Honey).  He took very good care of her and I am very grateful to him for that.

The first time I met Uncle Sohei, I had arrived very late at night and took a bus to meet him and Aunt Honey.  After getting off the bus, I could see them sitting across the street all alone in front of a building holding hands.  I thought they were adorable.

It seems like they had a special kind of love....my daughter Alyssa once told me that Uncle Sohei told her that on the day he met Valeria, he didn't stutter anymore. I also heard that sometimes they would speak to each other in poetry.  I would have loved to have heard that.  Uncle Sohei was always curious about our lives and asked us many questions. I wish I would have asked him more questions.

I loved how he would send drawings of his cats, as well as self-portraits of him and Aunt Honey in their letters to us. Those drawings are my treasures. I feel so proud to have had Sohei as my uncle and am missing him very much.

Kristin Engelbretson
Portland, Oregon