Kind, compassionate, artistic, loving
Nick once wrote a statement he endeavored to live by: “Being a kind and loving person—that’s how I want to be seen. I want my kindness to be so strong it’s contagious.” Nick knew the importance of being present for someone: listening, a handshake, a hug. But most importantly, he knew the importance of helping one person at a time. He took joy in the simple things—drinking a good cup of coffee, stopping by mom-and-pop shops for fresh groceries, walking with his wife Virginia, and pushing their cat Sweetie in a carriage. He loved being in nature. His mother Bernadette remembers Nick excitedly directing her and his dad from the back seat, guiding them down winding roads towards secret hideaways for fishing, hiking and swimming. Nick was a darling son, whether it was rubbing his dad’s shoulders from the back seat to ease his anxiety from being in traffic, or walking arm-in-arm with his mom through the city he loved and called home: Portland, Maine. His appreciation for nature was illustrated in his drawings and photographs.
“Nick was passionate about his art,” Bernadette said. “He created drawings that were both beautiful and unusual.” He shared his art with friends and family, and sold some pieces during the Portland Art Walk.
Nick was outgoing and loved to converse with people. However, he preferred spending time with the people nearest and dearest to his heart. Nick loved being with his parents and brothers, Ricky, and Christopher. His favorite memory was their family vacation in Aruba. As Nick described it: “I remember how happy we all were, together in paradise without a care in the world.” His and Virginia’s wedding was a private affair in the family’s backyard. “Everything was perfect. I’d never seen a man as happy as Nick. I’m so grateful that he had that day, and experienced that love for five years,” Bernadette said.
Though Nick preferred small gatherings, he had a generous heart that challenged him to get out and serve others. Nick received his bachelor’s degree in business management. His career fluctuated between working with his hands in the electric field and assisting others in social services. In his position as Resident Services Coordinator in an apartment complex for people with developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses, he organized an art show for the residents to display and sell their art. Nick wrote a letter introducing himself to the residents. Bernadette described the letter as one of the most well-written “nice to meet you” letters. Nick ended the letter with: “I’m very eager to meet everyone, so please stop by my office any time.”
When his eldest brother Ricky passed away due to substance use, Nick was devastated. He believed in the power of stones and crystals and would place them on his favorite photo of himself and Ricky, moving the stones daily. He once said, “I believe Ricky can see the beauty of the world through my eyes.”
Nick suffered from anxiety and developed an addiction to Xanax. Nick’s passing was unfathomable to his beloved family. Bernadette shared, “Grief brought with it fear and anxiety like I’ve never known. It’s crippling, how we long for him. We have now lost two sons to this insidious disease. How can that be? I don’t know where we can go from here without our beautiful boys. But we know we must for our Chris.”
Nick’s mother, Bernadette Giacoppo, provided the information for this narrative.
March 30, 1990-April 16, 2023–Age 33
Portrait Artist: Elizabeth Jones
Narrative Writer: Angela Day
