John Amat

John Robert Amat was a most joyful child with an inquisitive mind, outgoing personality and a big heart. His imagination was alive with curiosity, and his ideas were boundless in possibility. He radiated joy and could talk to anyone. He gave and received so much love from his parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. They have an abiding picture of John sprinting to his father and jumping up in his arms, and of John soaking up the love of his mother who was so devoted to him every day of his precious life.

Ed and Lori (Nightingale) Amat celebrated the birth of their fifth child on Saturday, July 23, 2005 in Kalamazoo, MI. John Robert was welcomed and loved by his siblings—Joe, Claire, James, Daniel—who also opened their hearts to baby Christina in 2009. The children were being raised with the selfless care of their parents and the support of their Catholic faith, all working together to help the children take their place in the world.

John took his place in the family as a child with an adventurous spirit. From early on, he wanted to try everything and be a part of every activity. Trucks, tractors and lawn equipment were a fascination to him, and he eagerly took apart mechanical objects in an effort to figure out how they worked. By age 2, he could make at least a dozen different motor sounds. He would pick up his guitar and play along with his dad and dance to Irish music. His dad had formed an Irish band with friend Dan Erving and, in effect, young John became the third member of a two-man band. He loved belting out the theme music of “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars.”

John always wanted to be a part of whatever was going on. He never wanted to be left out of what the family was doing. He liked to tag along with his brothers and sisters, who in turn embraced his participation with them and their friends. Even the friends of his oldest teenage brother had a soft spot for John, who never wanted to be left out. For all the many people who got know him, he was often and affectionately known as Johnny.

When it came to his siblings, John was no spectator. He wanted to be in the game, part of the action and certainly not standing still. He always wanted to try to do what they were doing. That’s why he always wanted to lead the dinner prayer and readily learned to make the sign of the cross. He loved going to Oma and Nonu’s house and riding with Grandpa on his electric chair.

Young John was full of life and saw every opportunity as an adventure. He got charged-up about riding his bike and scooter as well as drawing pictures and playing with best buddy “Romeo,” a year-old beagle the family had rescued. He loved going to Mass and getting his blessing afterwards at the front of the church. He often used the kneeler as a makeshift piano to play along with the choir.

He liked going anywhere and everywhere as long as he was going. Even going to the dentist was a joy to him whom he knew well because of his love for candy, especially suckers. It was no secret that John saw candy as one of the basic food groups. He would have had dessert for every meal if he could, and he developed a knack for getting sweets from people. Case in point: Mrs. Zommers, the principal at St. Augustine School, was one of his favorite people, not only because he was going to start kindergarten in the fall of 2010, but because he often walked out of her office with hands full of candy.

Tragically, John Robert died on June 21, 2010 in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the young age of 4. In their grief, John’s family would like to thank the many people who tried to save his life from the accident on Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. He will be sorely missed by his adoring family: parents Ed and Lori Amat; his brothers and sisters Joe (15 yr), Claire (13), James (11), Daniel (8) and Christina Amat (9 mo); his grandparents Romeo and Agnita Amat and Gordon and Claire Nightingale; his aunts and uncles Lisa and Greg Burkart; Len and Mary Amat and Ron and Nanci Amat and many cousins. The Amat family is most grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love from so many people and are comforted to know that John is now in the arms of our lord Jesus Christ in Heaven.

To all of his family and friends, John was a jewel: bright, beautiful, extraordinary and cherished beyond measure.