For my mother and my brother, JP, who both shared today as their wonderful birthdays,

Walk On, Walk On

With hope in your heart

And you’ll never walk alone….

Today, January 9th, is a special day in the Hickman household. At one time in our lives, it was a tremendous day for celebration. My mother, Juliana Marie Hickman (maiden name Loughery) and my brother, James Patrick Hickman were both born today, January 9th (different years, of course). My mother was born in 1929 and my brother was born in 1953.

It is a special occurrence when two happy occasions like family birthday fall on the same day. Expensive, yes, but very, very precious and special.

My mother, Juliana, was a wonderful person, and you would expect me to say that, but I dare anyone to prove me wrong. She was blessed with a spectacular operatic voice, one of such wonder and beauty that she appeared as a child on local radio shows, and had a chance at a contract with the CBS Radio Network.

She loved Gilbert And Sullivan operettas and anything Wagner. Her favorite was TRISTAN AND ISOLDE. However, she also met the love of her life, my dad, and that created choices that she had to make.

I am confident and proud to say that she chose correctly, because she became our mother. She gave up the dream of professional singing, but still sang, both around the house and around the area. We are Roman Catholic, but for almost 20 years, she sang at TEMPLE ZION on Pine Rd. in Huntington Valley, just outside of Philly. When I was a kid, I would accompany her, because we would have flounder dinners at the Quaker Diner on Rising Sun Ave. However, it would also allow me the thrill of hearing her join others who held a different faith, still realize the beauty of that faith to the fullest.

She put six kids through school, facing the myriad tough times and many great times, and she was always there for us. She is much like my sister is, in that she would also do for you, not because you expected, but because she knew that you needed it. All of the Hickman kids, grandkids, and great grandkids possess this trait.

So many wonderful memories of her in Longport NJ every summer (when we could afford Longport,), Disney World, and finally, two trips to paradise, Hawaii.

And, when you thought she could deliver nothing more beautiful, she gave us my wonderful brother Tommy at the age of 42. A tough C-section, and beset with physical problems the rest of his life, she still never looked at him as anything other than her son, she made sure he got to school, danced at the school dance, watched his favorite sports, enjoying life to the fullest.

In 1993, she got to see her beloved Phillies get to the World Series. On her birthday in 1994, she took ill. A month later, on Valentines Day, she left us in body, but absolutely not in life and spirit. My dad has never shown any interest in anyone else. She is the love of his life. Her lessons and presence are still part of our everyday world.

In other words, she never stopped being our mother in life or in the afterlife.

JP, or Jimmy, was her second son, and one ahead of me. Jimmy was a free spirit who loved music and loved life. Of all of us, he was the one who knew how to live life with everyone else, not in spite of everyone else. Tommy and JP were extremely close, and I have pictures of Tommy spending nights at JP’s apartment.

JP was total charm, and even in the worst times, he would be the brightest light and could convince you that any situation is not as bad as you might think. He was a bit reckless, but he still stayed family, and precious family at that. If you loved life, you loved JP. JP was gay, and he was my brother and our family.

One year, he was managing a Bridget Foys at 2nd and South when a windstorm came along. In trying to get everyone inside, he rushed to roll up the awnings. He was upswept by a windblast, came down and shattered his spine. This led to many more medical problems, and eventually led to a weakened immune system.

JP was in and out of the hospital, but still was able to live on his own, very close to the family, but still independent. Finally, it all caught up, and he wound up in Lankenau with many different things adding up to big things, including pneumonia and being HIV-positive. He spent months at Lankenau. One day, we were a few minutes delayed , and he passed away just before we walked into his hospital room.

So, the Hickman family lost January 9th, or so we thought. However, as the years go on, what January 9th brought our lives was much stronger that what was physically taken away.

So, Happy Birthday, Mom and JP, from the family who still makes even the worst situation work, and who has never forgotten our mother’s joy of being with others.



Walk on, through the wind,


Walk on, through the rain,


Though your dreams be tossed and blown.


Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,


And you'll never walk alone,


You'll never walk alone.