This is a place to post comments, photos, whatever...about growing up in the Hialeah Area...or anything else that is on your mind. In the past, we've been using our individual webpages for this purpose, but now we have a dedicated forum on our website. Please note that this forum is "not secure" and that comments you make are available to anyone that visits this website.  

If you post a comment about a deceased classmate in this section, please also post one on the classmate's "In Memory" page. Your comments here get lost in the many other comments over time while whatever you post on a classmate's "In Memory" page can easily be found by our classmates and family members of the deceased. 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

Michael "Mike" Wills

Hey All: just be sure you realize that I just found that in a local paper by a local writer. I certainly didn't come up with that on my own - but,  the guy really says a lot.

Richard M Hankin

I'm so sorry for not keeping in touch.  Many things have happened.  I guess I just went into seclusion.  That does not suit my personality.  I wish all my classmates and friends the best of the year and Stay Healthy.  God Bless You All.  Rich

James Ward

welcome back we missed you

Bruce Nierenberg

I just finshed reading the memorial written about Rufi Menendez. What a great tribute. I have not been in touch with Rufi since high school. Used to play agianst him in little league baseball from time to time. If we all could accomplish and give back they way Rufi did throughout his life this would be a better world. After reading all about his life I find myself wishing I been able to be a close friend for all these years as I am sure he made all those he touched have a better day. He also had one of the greatest smiles. Its a smile that comes from within.

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

I know most of you log into our class website hoping to find something new. And when you do logon you often see the same stuff that you saw the previous week...or even longer. If you don't find something new in our forum "What's on your mind?" you click on "Check Here for Latest news." There you might see that someone has had a birthday...which is cool. If you then find that no one has added anything...you log off. But you might have had something to say that would have been of interest to our classmates...but for some reason you didn't. Maybe you thought no one would be interested in what you might have to say? I know that everyone would like to hear from you...give it a try next time you log on.

Like many of you, I am a guest on the HHS class of 1963's website. I get notifications every couple of days about something that one of their classmates has added to their "Message Forum." All the comments are interesting...some are actually very funny! If you're hunkered down like the rest of us during this pandemic, I'd highly suggest that you log onto their website (http://www.hialeahhighclassof63.com/, click on their "Contact Us" link and ask to join their website. Donnie Simmons, their website administrator, will surely add your name to their website...which he must do for you to be able to join. You might even want to join the websites for the classes of '62, '65 and '66. You can find the links to their websites on the left side on our Home Page.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Just click on "Post Response" and start typing. And after doing so you want to change what you posted, you can click on "edit" and make any changes you want...you can even remove what you said. I've edited my comments and even removed my postings...many times.

Alice Lacedonia (Pace)

Thank you for the information Vinny.  I took your advice and requested to join the Class of 1963!  Plan on doing some posting soon! Be safe and HAPPY!

Joe E Dexter

Transferred in 1/2 way through my Junior year.  Was a trumpet player in the Marching Band.  Senior year Marching and Symphonic.  Switched to tuba so I could attend the N.Y. World's Fair in 64.  Married my high school sweetheart, Kathy Lehocky.  Divorced in 1970, but reconnected in 2018.  FSU Assistant Prof. 27 years, retired and moved to Orlando.  Operated Dexterskitties cat/kitten rescue.  Attended 1994 reunion.  Dex

Patrick Murphy

Joe Dexter, this is rather amazing. I joind HHS Marching Band as a sousaphone player, grew bored with that (there aren't many works highlighting the sousaphone) and my senior year I switched to trumpet.I also was in the Symphonic band. It's amazing that we had such opposite but parallel courses. I, too, eventually taught at FSU as an adjunct in the English department. Before that, however, I was an intern pastor for the Presbyterian church, an electronics engineer for NASA at the Ames Research Center, then the adjunct period, and finally forensic toxicologist for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Yes, I know, as a resume this is pretty ugly, but it's like we had reverse lives, you doing it right and me screwing it all up. Luckily I've just retired, so I'm no longer tempted to go jumping around.
 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

We never know when we might bump into someone who attended Hialeah High School. When Nancy had our second child, thousands of miles away from Hialeah at an AF Base in England, we discovered that her hospital “roommate” graduated from Hialeah High School! When Nancy and I were on an R&R during the Vietnam War we were walking on Pattaya Beach in Thailand when a person who went to Hialeah High School walked by us, recognized us, and said hello. We have also been fortunate to have connected with several classmates over the years in various locations in the US...they recognized us or we recognized them.  And just a few weeks ago, I was talking to our next door neighbor and mentioned that Nancy and I were raised in Miami (we always tell folks we grew up in Miami...who knows Hialeah?). He then spouted out: Hialeah High School! I was speechless…but then I was able to ask him how he was connected to Hialeah High School? He said he attended one semester there: his junior year. I asked him what year he graduated from high school: he said 1964! Again I could not believe what I was hearing! He then said although he was only there a semester, he remembered the school as being HUGE! He was immediately added to our list of classmates!

I know all of you have stories like this. Would you share them with us?

Chris Riley (Leff)

Vinny, it was nice to hear of all the Hialeah High School people out there!  Jack and I were visiting our favorite Cuban restaurant here in South Carolina and started talking with the owner, who, you got it, had also graduated HHS!  Then at an event here in our community, I decided to go over and introduce myself to some new neighbors and guess where he had graduated high school!!  Our world seems to keep get smaller and smaller.  Hope all you Thoroughbreds are healthy and staying safe from Covid 19!  

Lynn Anderson (Dewhurst)

Jack and I were on a river cruise in Germany in 2018 and one of our table mates not only graduated from HHS but was in the class of 64. I invited her to join the class website and she did. Right before we left Miami Springs we got a new pastor and he also graduated from HHS but many years after us. Small world. 

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

From Richard Stearns:

To pick up on Vinny's theme of meeting HHS grads over the years:  Early in 1966 I was in the Air Force in Vietnam stationed at Tan Son Nhut outside Saigon.  As an avionics tech I normally didn't fly around the country, but on one of my days off I hitched a ride on a C123 cargo plane to see the country.  One of our stops was a Special Forces (Green Beret) camp on a mountain top near Bong Son.  The plane was to go back and forth moving troops and vehicles to Nha Trang, so I stayed over to check out the SF outpost.  ( I was nineteen and more adventurous than smart.)  Standing next to the dirt airstrip an army jeep pulled up with three guys in it.  The guy riding shotgun was one of the Key twins, Mike and Bill, from HHS class of 1963!  I had no idea which it was so I just yelled KEY!  10,000 miles from home on a remote mountain top - and I meet an old buddy from HHS.

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

From Joe Dexter:

Since I only attended 1 1/2 years the few friends I had were from work at the A&P grocery store (Mike Johnson) and math class (David Tomaszek).  My senior year I took early classes so I could work 40 hours a week at the A&P.  A job meant a car, a car meant new “friends” riding with me to school, and best of all a girlfriend to take on dates,.  So I envy classmates who have lots of memories with classmates.  People probably remember my sister, Jeanne, the social butterfly.

Bill Coffeen

How are Classmates doing against the virus?

i have stayed indoors and ordered my food from Publix and had it delivered.

but I got the virus??? !!!

Was afraid to tell my children

I have tested positive 3 times ...

but have had no symptoms..,

aftet 20 days of quarantine... I get out tomorrow..

hope all of you are doing well ...

Vince "Vinny" Rusinak

As Paul Harvey would have said: "you're going to hear the rest of the story (this from Bill Coffeen)"...

"Going to spend the Fall in the mountains with my sister ... have decided to not live any one place any more ... each quarter will go somewhere... mountains... Florida house ... rent beach condo .., ocean cruise ... Canadian Rockies ... what ever ...

Might be in a wheel chair ... but I am going ..."

Back to the words of Paul Harvey: "And now you know...the rest of the story. Good Day!" 

Bill, we know it's been a really tough year for you...and also for many of us. Keep us posted!

Toni Canonico (Nasco)

Bill, best wishes to you on that “rolling stone” plan!! And don’t forget that our COLORADO mountains are mighty nice also!! Look forward to seeing you in our “neck o’ the woods”!

Blessings, Toni

Melvin "Jack" Krouskroup

Hi all from central Florida, I and all my friends practice the CDC recomended safety measures, we have had deaths here but I personally don't know anyone who has died from the virus. I think it runs in pockets and if you don't run in that group you might be lucky enough to avoid danger, none of my friends know anyone who has contracted the virus (OK I do have more than 2 friends) my point is I think this is the reason for the virus deniers. 

James Coole

Bill - Since you had no virus symptoms why were you tested and why 3 times? Did you have any direct and unprotected (no mask) contact with the persons delivering your groceries?  After receiving your groceries do you perform any decomination (soap/water, bleach, etc.)?

Pat Bach

I have two friends and one relative that got the virus.  My one friend's right lung partially collapsed causing stress on her entire body and making breathing very painful.  Her 17 year old daughter had it too but her symptoms weren't as serious.  My family member inidicated that he had never felt so sick in his whole life.  It knocked him off his feet for over 6 weeks and he still battles fatigue and other symptoms.  He practiced the 6' recommended distance and always wore a mask. So where he got it no one knows for sure.  But my point is take it seriously and be safe or it is going to be around a lot longer and more lives will be lost.  Who knows how accurate the numbers are, focus on safety first.  It is real...be safe everyone.

Wayne Case

I wanted to let my classmates know how we are doing in South Florida with the coronavirus. My office has been seeing Covid 19  patients since March of this year.  We have seen many for diagnosis and treatment. Our treatment has been with hydroxychloroquine, Z -pack, Zinc, Vitamins and steroids.  Fortunately, we have had no  deaths due to Covid 19. I personally have seen  many positive nasal swab patients. We are now seeing many patients with positive IGG and IGM markers who never had any previous symptoms. All the patients are screened for active disease before they are placed in an examination room. Unfortunately, not all patients tell the truth as some would get past our scrrening so they could see the doctor right away. Fortunately, none of our 45 employees have contracted Covid 19. I have been taking hydroxychlorquine prophlactically since March.  It is a safe drug despite what the Media says.  We do follow all the safety precautions as hand washing, masks and spacing. Most of the cases we see are from family transmission.  There are some that we could not understand how they contracted it as they were following all safety protocols. I do believe that there is a light at the end of  the tunnel as the number of cases are decreasing in South Florida.  The positivity rate is now 4.89%. If we continue doing what we are doing, I do not believe there will be a third wave. Once we start administering  the vaccines it should improve things. We need to return to a semblance of our former life.

Pat Bach

Finally some good news and hope....thank you for the update.  Stay safe and thank you for all you and your team are doing to make this go away!!!

Bill Coffeen

hydroxychlorquine

if you can get a prescription for hydroxychlorquine you can't get it filled in Florida if it is coded for The virus ...

however ... if coded any one of the other uses ... like arthritis... etc ... the pharmacy will fill it ...

note: I am a virus survivor ... just finished 21 days of quarantine... tested positive 3 times ?

never had a Symptom ...

Beverly "Fran" Tish (Whitaker)

Genevieve "Dev" Perkis (Steffen)

Thank you Wayne for all that info.

I still stay home mostly except to have grandkids who come over to be in pool and stay in the tiki. I walk in the evening when it is cooler with my mask if I see other people. Usually I'm by my self.  I miss my traveling that I had been doing since I retired 11 years ago. Hope I'll be able to do again before I'm too OLD! haha!

Stay safe everyone. I love the mountains of CO. I have a 1964 high school "sis" Darlene Higginbothom Heinrich that I go to see every year. She lives in Ft Collins. 

Nancy Lundblom (Blizzard)

Thank you Wayne for the updates and information you provide.  It's good to hear that things are getting better.  I have two family members that have been affected by the virus.  One was a niece in California who is a nurse and contracted it from a patient in March.  She was pretty sick for about 2 weeks, but was treated early on with hydroxycholorquine and zinc(she was allergic to the antibodies), and recovered and donated plasma afterwards.  I also have a nephew who is 28 years old who tested positive after attending a July 4th party with people his age.  He had no symptons and didn't get sick, but it scared him enough to admit he had been really irresponsible for even attending the party.  He is an attorney and smart enough to have known better, but young enough to think he wouldn't be infected, or infect others.  I have an auto-immune disease and have been staying in since March until recently.  My husband had knee replacement surgery earlier this month so I have recently had to do the grocery shopping.  My husbamd. daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids have all been tested, and were negative.  I am the only one who has not been tested, but so far have had no symptons.