The gentle sound of raindrops falling upon the earth set the perfect mood for the celebration of Birgit Caliandro’s life. Family and friends gathered in an open-air pavilion to remember and honor a woman whose spirit was as generous as her smile and whose love for her children was boundless. Birgit did not surrender an inch to the cancer which took her last April. She lived life to the fullest and her impact on those who knew her was profound. Her daughter, Isabella, was a classmate of Nicolai’s growing up and the two have remained close friends to this day.