Elderly Care and Senior Living Support Services
....when our experience with seniors turned into SeniorBuddies.org!
Graziella M. Pujals
August 1, 1926 - January 4, 2026
Ms. Marie Kearns
March 1, 1934 - October 22, 2019
Their grandmother, Graziella, was an example for all of us! Whether family, friends or community; she was always there for us with charity, compassion and her loving nature or with her example which was full of action, leadership and relentless guidance. She taught us family, faith, integrity, values, ethics and patriotism!
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She inspired us with her generous work in elderly homes in Thibodaux and her example led to the founding of www.SeniorBuddies.org after we watched her loving interactions with her grandson JC who was born with Down Syndrome. She had a way of interacting with him that was genuine and so natural that it made him feel like he WAS NOT intellectually disabled; a beautiful thing to watch!
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Silvia M. Muñiz
August 1, 1928 - March 18, 2020
JC Pujals(James Cantwell) has not only been a blessing in our lives/family; he was instrumental in caring for Graziella's sister, Tia Silvia. JC helped move Silvia from New Orleans to Chicago to be near family. He was also instrumental in the inspiration of the SeniorBuddies program. It was so inspiring and truly refreshing to watch the genuine interactions between the "Seniors" and the "Buddies". JC and his peers (Buddies) entertained all of Silvia's new elderly friends and thanks to the JC-Silvia duo, Tia Silvia was a "rock star" in her new senior living complex until God called her in 2020. Observing the above made SeniorBuddies.org so obvious!
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The most special moment; and "...what made the 'light bulb' go on for me" to inspire the start of SeniorBuddies.org was a moment so personal, so special that I could not denigrate it with a photograph. It was a moment, like many that we each have, that was worthy of the highest classification, not a picture;
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.....only a crystal clear and timeless memory! ​
That honor is well placed with Ms Marie as a result of our visit in Thibodaux, La., one year before her last day. As my good friend (her son) put it, " She was always the epitome of grace and hospitality. Marie was mother, confessor in chief, and empathizer for many in and outside her nuclear family. Her wisdom, clear thinking, and enormous heart will be missed by all she touched."
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During our visit to see her, Ms Marie sat in her usual spot while I chatted with her about everything, as we always did. JC was quietly on the side, but his empathy radar "was on" as it always is. As our conversations took us on "memory lane", he eased over to hold her hand while gently stroking her arm as her tears flowed peacefully down her face and the comfort that he shared exposed the warmth and joy that was simultaneously embracing her big heart. It was almost like she was receiving in return a small dose of all the empathy she was known to provide for others!
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SeniorBuddies.org is proud to attempt to continue to share that "enormous heart" and maybe it doesn't need to be "missed" as much. We feel privileged to honor her example with as many "crystal clear and timeless memories" as we can create for others going forward!
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That indelible moment will never be forgotten. It will never be shared with the picture that I never took, but I hope it is repeated many times over for others, in her memory!
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