Love Is Real, Not Fade Away with John Macario

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, show the ones you love just how much they mean to you, and share your appreciation and gratitude for the gift of life, the gift of love, and the gift of energy that we all share. Thank you ALL for the gift of YOUR love and our collective friendship.

Nobody embodies the mindset of gratitude more so than my friend, John Macario. Though John and I have yet to meet in person, we recently connected via a communal, music-centric group that we both belong to on social media. I was struck by John’s story. Specifically, I was struck by the story of his true and his unconditional love for his wife, Meg, who at the time was fighting for her life following an organ transplant. John bravely shared Meg’s journey with the group throughout the months, weeks, and days leading up to her untimely passing in late July 2024. In turn, the community was not shy to show their boundless support and compassion for John, Meg, their daughter, Gloria, and the extended Macario family.

Initially our friendship began with a series of DM’s and texts, followed by a conversation, then with the interview here on Grateful Dad & Friends.  John brings us back to the day he first laid eyes on Meg in a VIP suite at Madison Square Garden in 2010, and he opens up about how their love grew in the weeks and months that followed, culminating with their wedding on New Year’s Eve the following year. The rest, as they say, is history...

John shares insights into how he and Gloria (now 12) are living their “new normal” without Meg and how music helps them heal. Keep an ear out for the story of Gloria’s attachment to Jerry Garcia Band’s 1980 rendition of After Midnight and how one of John’s lullabies happens to be one of my own all-time favorites, Keep on Growing.

Finally, here are two takeaways from my newfound friendship with John that I’m proud to share.

The first: BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR. As Phil Lesh said hundreds of times, all you need to do is say to someone you love, “Hey, if anything should ever happen to me, I want to be an organ donor.” And check that box on your license. That’s it.

The second: LOVE IS REAL. And well… you know the rest.

Join us, and let’s see where the energy takes us! #IFE #NFA

Peggy-O https://youtu.be/d54nO9520aI?si=FnN72l5rQON2mxZz)

Big River https://youtu.be/DOyDVwN7iaw?si=ol6b6_fFPy9xSWUV

Help on the Way https://youtu.be/0d2DQlP3wSE?si=EJW_Gf0MyeYq8k0l

Love Reign Over Me https://youtu.be/EJi6maTueSc?si=rg-7Cqv2w2lgVWzk

The Other One https://youtu.be/FZ7B0G_qu5M?si=P8DIAnU1XbaCQQrt