This afternoon, I received the very sad news that longtime Kenner resident and friend Al Morella was found dead in his home. The cause of death has not been announced but Kenner Police have ruled out foul play.
Al was a longtime fixture in Kenner and attended, and spoke at, nearly every City of Kenner and Jefferson Parish Council Meetings as well as other government meetings. He was a past member of the Kenner Housing Authority and an advocate for good government.
Al frequently questioned change orders on projects which cost taxpayers money. During the Public Comment portion of the Council Meetings, Al was normally the first one to speak and, if he didn't get in everything that he wanted to say, at the end of his time he would simply smile and say, "I'll be here at the next meeting for another 3 minutes." He always closed with, "Anybody got any comments or questions for me?"
Al didn't own a computer and didn't use email but his mind was like a computer. He stored a ton of facts and figures in his head and I never saw him use any notes when he stood at the podium at a Council Meeting.
Al ran for public office several times without success - but, like Forest Gump, he kept running anyway. He cared deeply about Kenner and Jefferson Parish and wanted.
The Times-Picayune often referred to Al as a "political gadfly".
I always called Al "my friend".
I've known Al Morella for well over 10 years. I don't know how or when we met and we were never close "personal friends" - you know, the kind who go to lunch or hang out and watch football games. I didn't know Al's birthday and neither of us had ever been over to each other's houses. But we were friends, nonetheless.
Whenever I would see Al, or more likely, when Al would see me, whether it was at Sam's, WalMart, Circle K or at a meeting, we would always converse about city or parish politics or projects and, of course, politicians.
Ironically, last night I was discussing Al with a longtime friend of mine and told him my favorite Al Morella story.
In 2014, both Al & I ran for Mayor of Kenner against Mike Yenni. Both of us knew that we had no chance of winning, but we ran anyway.
During the campaign, I had 2 major operations on my leg. After 1 of the operations, I was released after a 10-day stint in the hospital and put on Home IV Antibiotic treatments and some pretty heavy-duty pain meds. I was tied to a Home IV unit for 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours at night - and the antibiotics would make me sleep much of the time in between.
About a day and a half after my hospital release, The Times-Picayune?NOLA.com had scheduled a video Mayoral Debate at their offices in Downtown New Orleans. I wasn't going to miss the chance to debate Yenni for anything.
After I had my morning IV treatment, I took my pain meds trying to time them so they would kick in after I arrived at T/P offices since the pain meds upset my stomach and I didn't want to be sick on the way there.
I drove to the debate and parked in an adjacent parking garage and made my way through the office building and into the T/P offices hobbling on crutches.
When the video of the debate was posted online, I looked white as a sheet and like I was zoning in and out. I had no business being there, but I made it through and sounded reasonably coherent.
After the debate, despite parking on different floors, Al insisted on walking with me and helping me back to my car. Along the way, I had to stop twice and vomit in the parking garage. If I vomited next to your car, I apologize.
Despite the vomit, Al stayed with me to make sure I was ok. He didn't have to - he did it because he wanted to.
And that was Al Morella.
He didn't have to go to Kenner & Jefferson Parish Council Meetings, but he did.
He didn't have to speak out and suffer the derision and rolled eyes of politicians as he questioned them, but he did.
He didn't have to volunteer on the Kenner Housing Authority Board, but he did.
He didn't have to put up his own money and qualify to run for office, but he did.
There aren't many people that I know who cared about Kenner and Jefferson Parish as much as Al Morella did.
And, there aren't many people like Al Morella. He was unique and I am blessed and thankful to have called Al "my friend".
Al Morella will be missed in Kenner and Jefferson Parish.
I know I will miss him.
We lost a good man today and I lost a friend.
We need a lot more Al Morella's in our world.
Rest in peace Al.
