Sonny, Nico, and Ray

The man on the left in this photo is our dear friend of forty years, Sonny Crawford. He has been visiting us here at the orange grove for the past 8 days and will leave on Wednesday to return to Massachusetts, where his wife and two sons live. Ray met Sonny when our daughter Sarah and Sonny’s son Tinian were two. The toddlers started playing together at a pizza parlor in Brimfield, Massachusetts, where both Ray and Sonny had come for the Brimfield Antique Market. Ray was there looking for restaurant decor for the Chili’s chain, and Sonny was selling the art pieces he’d imported from Southeast Asia. As the kids played, Sonny and Ray became fast friends; a few days later, when I met Sonny, he and I also became fast friends.

Sonny has spent much of his time painting here at the orange grove. He is a wonderful artist and sneaks away for part of every day to sit down somewhere and paint. He also sat with our grandkids while they were here, and everyone drew and painted. It was a sweet sight indeed.

Sonny is also a Vietnam vet. During his time in the Army, he served as a point man for his platoon, meaning he was the first person in line when on patrol, the most dangerous position. He was recognized for his bravery by being awarded a Purple Heart.

After his tour, Sonny returned to the United States and has committed the rest of his life to peace. He is a self-described “old hippie” who lives in the Berkshires. While in Vietnam, he fell in love with Southeast Asia, and for many years, he traveled to that part of the world to buy Asian art pieces to import to the United States. Also, he and his wife, Emily, adopted their beloved son, Sovahn, who was born in Cambodia.

Sonny, with his purple heart license plates on his truck, is still serving others. After hearing that his local emergency services put out a call for EMTs, Sonny jumped in and took all the courses and training required to pass his national certification. At 75, he is still actively involved and routinely heads off to help when someone has been injured in an accident. After hearing many of Sonny’s stories, it’s clear that he’s enjoying working with other emergency medical personnel and helping those in need.

Sonny has given more than his share to our country and is a wonderful person. He also has a wicked sense of humor, which can make me belly laugh. Not to mention that he’s fluent in several languages, including French and Thai, and is also an accomplished artist, musician, teacher, and tree-trimmer.

Thanks for visiting us, my friend. We love you. I’m happy that Ethan has gotten to know his sweet “Uncle Sonny.” Give Emily a big hug for loaning you to us for these ten days.

Our Rachael (now 33) with Sonny and his wife Emily around 31 years ago