Tribute Video for Jennifer Perillo: Mikey’s Peanut Butter Pie
If you haven’t already heard the news, then hopefully this video will share it all. On Monday, our dear friend Jennifer Perillo’s husband died of a sudden heart attack. Jennie is a special force in the food community and is loved by many.
We had a gathering in our garden with friends Brooke, Jen, Gaby, Penny and Rene when we heard of the news. It was a shock to us all and were left speechless for a long moment of silence. Fortunately we were together to comfort one another in the pain.
Jennie asked that in honor of those we love, to make a Creamy Peanut Butter Pie and share it. This pie was also a favorite of her husband, Mikey. You can read it on her blog.
In full force, with fierce love and commitment, the online food community banded together as one family to celebrate Mikey and everyone dear to us. Under the twitter hashtag #APieforMikey , a beautiful explosion of peanut butter pies came pouring out of all our hearts to be shared with our loved ones.
We were devastated at the news of Mikey’s passing. To heal and share in our grief with Jennifer’s family and the whole online food blogging community, we made a pie in honor of Mikey.
To also celebrate our friend Jennifer, her strength, courage and love, we’re giving her a gift in the best way that we know how: by video.
Thank you to all of you, the food community and those who poured in to share your thoughts to share on this video. It was impossible to add all the thoughts that came pouring in, but know that we appreciate all of you who sent them in.
We asked close friends of Jennie to contribute thoughts and we also searched the hashtag #APieForMikey and found some wonderful sentiments to Jennifer. Those were added to the video. Special thank you to Kim Severson for sending us this amazing image for inspiration in the video.
Jennie, this is for you, our friend and sister, from all of us in the food community. You are loved. Deeply.
And most importantly, this pie and everything it symbolizes is for Mikey.
holding you all close,
diane and todd
Absolutely beautiful. *tears*
Beautiful!!
what a beautiful video – tears falling down right now
I don’t know the family and only heard about Jennie as I follow a few food bloggers – but the outpouring of love and support through the #apieformikey was hard to miss on twitter and facebook yesterday.
a true reminder to go hug your loved ones and make every minute count
beautiful
Your beautiful video made my cry.
This is a very personal and real issue for me. But for the inexplicable mercy we were shown, I might have been a widow myself today. Not quite 3 months ago, my 56 year year old husband had a heart attack.
It happened completely out of the blue, with no warning sign whatsoever. He felt a little tired, and went outside into the surprisingly chilly (for May in Nashville) 53º air to chop some wood to get his blood flowing. This turned out to have been almost a famous last thought for him, since his blood actually WASN’T flowing through his Left Anterior Descending Artery, the big one on the front of his heart, the one they call the widow maker. Two blockages in that artery: it was 95 and 99% blocked.
Thank God he came back inside and told me that he took two swings of the axe and broke out into a sweat on that chilly day. Had some chest pressure. Felt a little dizzy. Thank God I called the ambulance. Thank God he had open heart bypass surgery and got that blood vessel rerouted into his left mammary artery.
He wasn’t overweight. He had no high blood pressure. His cholesterol was totally normal. But he did have a family history of heart disease.
Husbands are a valuable commodity, and worth taking care of. (So are people of any gender, for that matter.) MAKE them (or YOURSELF) go to the doc and get a stress test, so they don’t end up giving themselves their own stress test out by the wood pile.
Heart disease can be completely asymptomatic until it kills you.
We’ve had 3 months of bypass surgery recovery and cardio rehab. He’s changed his diet, and I’ve changed my cooking somewhat, although we have always avoided all processed foods and eaten a healthy diet.
Peanut butter pie won’t be on our menu today, for very good reasons, but it won’t be because our HEARTS don’t go out to Jennie in the loss of her Mikey. They do, with deep empathy. We’re just trying to keep the hearts we have a little healthier.
Susan,
thank you for sharing this, your amazing story. Everyone reading it here is a better, more inspired person from your experience. xoxo
…and I am crying once again. This video is so moving. The food community is so moving. What special friends you are to do this for Jennie. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely beautiful. God Bless Jennie and her girls. What a beautiful tribute.
This is an absolutely beautiful tribute. Thank you for honoring Jennie, Mike, and her family this way. I love this community. The light and love and generosity of strangers reminds me of all that is good in the world. Thank you. Thank you.
What an amazing video and tribute. Thank you for sharing this.
Absolutely beautiful. Tears, all over again. Wow.
Its wonderful. Amazing. Seriously beautiful.
Absolutely amazing, beautiful tribute. Thank you for sharing.
What a gorgeous tribute n awesome display of our foodblog community . Thankful to be a part of Such support. This should always be what our world is about. Praying with all of you to surround & family with huge hands to comfort & hug, which only God can do for us. ASAP=Always Sending A Prayer !
Absolutely outstanding – you two not only have incredible talent but absolutely huge hearts as well. Thank you for sharing it with the rest of us~
xx
I am sorry for your loss but what a great tribute to your dear friend Mikey.
It is amazing how food can bring us together in remembrances of a loved one. I too loss a dear friend at the age of 47 from a sudden heart attack, three months ago. His favorite cake is German Chocolate, which I would bring ever year when we met for lunch, our tradition for six years but no more. I shall always remember him through this cake.
I am new to your blog, thank you for sharing the Peanut Butter Pie, I shall try it and remember Mikey.
Wow, I am in awe. Your video captured it all. I am speechless. My heart is full and forever grateful for the food blogging community. Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Jennie and her girls. Thank you once again for sharing your talents. What a special tribute to Mikey.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t know when I last watched something so beautiful. As sad as it is, you’ve given Jennie a tremendous gift here. I love YOU guys fiercely.