Ohana 2022 - Brother the Cloud Song Dedication
Mad Markus
Posts: 4
Dear Eddie Vedder,
First off, thank you so much for your music. My wife, Susan, and I have been listening and following you and Pearl Jam since we’ve been together. I’m also a longtime member for the 10 Club. We have been together for 30 years and just celebrated our 29th Wedding Anniversary a few days ago. Last year we were lucky enough to go to our third Ohana Festival for our 28th Anniversary (which was also our 31st Pearl Jam show).
My wife is an amazing human. Besides being my wife, best friend and love of my life, she is also mother to our two beautiful daughters; Kiana and Calista, the Auntie of several nieces and nephews, Godmother to numerous of our friends’ children and is the most selfless person you will ever meet. She is a teacher and school director of San Jose Montessori School, which follows traditional Maria Montessori teaching and learning. If you ever have a conversation with her regarding her school, you will see how passionate she is about her philosophy and working with children. She often puts the needs of the children at her school first. She is also the youngest of five siblings and truly is the glue to her and our family.
However, last year, one of Susan’s brother, John Evans, passed away unexpectedly. In fact right after Father’s Day, June 2021. I remember sending him a last text wishing him a Happy Father’s Day. The family was devastated after losing our brother John and still struggles to cope with his passing. I think the hardest thing, especially for Susan, is that they never got to say goodbye face to face because it happened so fast.
Your song, “Brother the Cloud”, is such a beautiful song lyrically and when Susan heard it the first time, she felt an immediate emotional tie between the song and her brother John. She tears up every time we listen to it, but I know that is just John saying hi to her and that he is in a better place.
I’m sure you get millions of requests like this, but if that song is on your setlist at Ohana this weekend, it would mean the world to us and I would be honored if you mentioned Susan and her bother John during that song or at any point during your set. If not, just know that we will both be singing with eyes full of tears while looking up at the night sky at a fantastic setting for a festival.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and we can’t wait for this weekend. Stay healthy, hug your wonderful family and can’t wait to see you on the road again, hopefully next year!
Mark Fernandez