to all another year has come and gone since ralphy's passing we think of him always and keep him in our hearts. my family hit a milestone for my aunt her hit her 100th birthday this past jan in floirda, durring the many parties held family members asking about the red braclet i wear i explained about ralphs journey and that we all should count our blessings.... mark

Raplhie, Just yesterday, Lucas looked up at your picture at home and said, "I miss Ralphie." I had to fight back tears as I looked at him because I know how much he misses you and how much he wishes you were still here. As our family gets bigger, we make sure they will always remember you and always keep your spirit with us! Miss you unbearably...XOXO

Ralph today makes two years that you were taken from us , an our lives have never been the same with out you You are still an always will be in our thoughts 24/7 I know your up there watching over us , an our little family as it continues to grow , lighting up the sky with that big smile on your face, standing proud to be their Uncle, an Angel As time goes on you are always with us in every thing that we do an every place we go Keep shinning over us leading the way an protecting our little ones Love Mom & Dad

To the Red Dog Foundation: the Gala you organized was wonderful. What a great way to help others and keep Ralph's memory alive. God bless you all!

To the califano family, we are so sorry for your loss! Ralph will stay in my prayers!

To all the califano family the time from last year certainly has passed quickley,i think of ralphy all the time and still think of dang also. ive been very fortunate to have become friends to all of you i came in as a stranger to you all and 33 years later think of all as my 2nd family, im truely blessed i look at Ralphie's picture in my albums and think how could happen to such a remarkable person fondly mark

I’m sorry I couldn’t make the kareoke for cancer tonight. Hope you guys reach your goal. Your are doing wonderful things with this charity. You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for all your efforts. RIP Ralphie xoxo

Cuzn Ralph, I know the calendar says its been a year but I just don’t believe it. I feel your presence with me every second of every day and laugh and the notion that your gone. I know your here and, and with your help from above, look forward to the many great things we do together... Section 149, row 31, seat 12 will be yours forever.....

Thinking of you everyday as you well know and missing you.Your uncle always waited for that phone call (Marvin are you coming over tonight) just couldn’t go on his own but would jump up when you called and left immediately. Miss you smile your love for life. Your memory with us and family brings a smile to all of us. Love you always xxxxxxoooooo

One year ago today, I lost my best friend and brother after watching him succumb to the most horrific disease possible. A year later, instead of the wound healing the gash becomes deeper and deeper with time. Although the strength that my family has demonstrated in the last year is unfathomable and the support we have given so many through the Red Dog Foundation has helped, the harsh reality remains that we lost a great kid! I miss and love you Ralph.....~awaiting your text, Mike--3;4;11

Ralph I cannot pick one favorite memory because I have so many just wathing you grow up and become the young man you were was a pleasure. I think of you every day and miss your Impish Grin with that twikle in your eyes. You will forever be in my Heart!! Say hello to Marie for me. I Love You and Miss you more than words can express.

As tomorrow approaches, I find it incredibly challenging to comprehend that a full year has passed by. Over this past year, I have found myself reflecting on the ’good ol’ times’ but let me tell you something- they truly were GOOD. I know I wasn’t able to be around as often as I would have liked over the past few years because of school, but I thank God everyday for the ability to recall and truly live in every moment we have shared. I can remember, like it was yesterday, you and I decked out in our dads’ cop uniforms using the mustard yellow Celica in my driveway as our ’Cop Car’ and locking everyone up that we saw. We truly made some damn good police officers back then ; ) Some of my favorite memories are when my dad and I would come over to the house to have some coffee, watch tv, and just hang. We would always enjoy some good laughs over poking fun at my dad for being so far behind the times and never buying the upgraded item that the rest of the Califano’s would go for. I truly miss those laughs. I want you to know how much you have changed by life, Ralphie. Whether it is a run, a race, a workout, or a prayer- I have found true inspiration in your memory. You didn’t just change my life through living yours, but you continue to shape my life each day. I love you dearly and miss you even more. One day we will be back in that Celica cleaning up the streets

Its hard to believe that a year has gonna by. Life is not the same anymore. One of the hardest things for me is when Adriana and I visit you at the cemetery to hear her say "When can I see Ralph" I just tell her you are always with us but we just can’t see him. Or when ever I go to moms house when I walk though that door I still can picture you on that sofa greeting the kids or when I drive up the street to see Ronnie you would be washing your car with him. Ralph you are truly missed. I know your in a better place having a lot of fun, with a big smile on your face. I know your always looking down on all of us, and keeping us safe. Some day we will meet again to catch up on everything and to break balls. You are one of the Strongest person I ever knew. I am proud to say I am your brother. LIVE STRONG RED DOG. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

Its so hard to pick a memory to write about because every memory of you is amazing, even when you weren’t feeling well you were still finding ways to make me smile and laugh. While moving out of my apartment this past week, I found myself thinking a lot about the day you helped me move in and all the times we had there. You always drove the Ella mobile down so your car wouldn’t get scratched in the Bx and you spent so much time there we used to joke that you were moving in to the "smush room" aka the couch. One of my favorite times was Halloween because you really didn’t want to wear a costume and I talked you into being superman to be part of our superhero theme. It was all great until we got to the bar and you realized you didn’t have your id and couldn’t get in because the costume had no pockets and they didn’t think you were a day over 18. You were so mad! And when I woke up the next morning your cape was laying in the middle of the street! You were always the best at taking one for the team and we always had so much fun, even if you were shaking your head and telling me "girl your crazy." In the past year everything has reminded me of you and no day has been the same without you. I miss doing "big thing kid" and seeing that contagious smile every day. Love you lotsss and miss you more than words can explain. xoxo Gee

Bubie, I want to start by saying in this past year you would be so proud of your family, your parents and brothers who have channeled all their grief into an amazing tribute to your life, The Red Dog Foundation. That alone speaks for itself. Grief and sadness fester within and their are never any words that can express those feelings. That being said Bubie know that my memories of you are only those of your beautiful smiling face. So my funny little memory will be of me and you laughing every time Nanny would talk about Irene and those damn chickens of hers. She would say that they were all different colors and the eggs they laid were the same color as the chickens!! Yellow, blue, pink whatever!! Then when Nanny had those creepy cookies Irene baked, you and I said we saw feathers in them!!! Continue to smile down on us Bubie. Until we meet again, I will love you forever Mary Ellen PS. " the peppers"

Mr. Magoo, I’m not going to start by saying I can’t believe its been a year already because this has been the longest, saddest an loneliest year of my life, an I can tell you first hand that when people say it gets easier with time it doesn’t. I have that same broken, empty, and lost feeling since that morning You left us and became OUR ANGEL. Ralph everyday being with You was a memory and still is for me. This past hunting season was one of the hardest things I had to do without you. I can’t even explain in words how much I missed hearing on the two-way Radio my favorite lines from You“ Da you see anything moving “ or “ Da- Da I got deer coming to me ". Ralph you and your smile are in my thoughts 24/7 and my life without you has changed forever. Your Mother and I miss you beyond words. Keep shinning over us Your Father

Dear Ralph, I can’t believe that a year has passed. I watched you grow from a young boy to a fine young man, always laughing and smiling even when things got tough. I will always remember you waking up saying, "it must me be Saturday morning! I smell the bleach!" When I was cleaning the house or "what’s for dinner?" or telling me what to make. The house is not the same without you. I miss you more than ever. Love mom

I really can’t believe its been a year since Ralph has been gone. He truly was an amazing person inside and out. He had a such a big heart ad his family and friends ment the world to him. The best memory I have of Ralph is that he always had this really big gorgeous smile on, it didn’t matter how bad the situation was or how bad the circumstances were, he just always smiled. He never dwelled on the bad things in life, he always stayed positive and happy. Alot of us take life for granted sometimes but Ralph cherished everyday with joy and happiness. He is missed and remembered by so many people, and I feel alot safer knowing that he is watching over all of us who loved him. He truly is an inspiration to us all. RIP Ralph you are safe in my heart & memories forever <3

Wow it has been almost a year...it feels like just last month when Lil’ Ralphie was with us at the Game Dinner in Somers...always smiling and being a wonderful young man...a true inspiration to us all....when we left at the end of the night, I hugged him and told him he would always be my hero...a great kid I will never forget. Even being a Pats fan, I was happy the Giants won knowing Ralphie was looking down from Heaven and cheering and smiling at the outcome of the Super Bowl! We will always remember you Ralphie and may you rest well in God’s arms. Love, Jim and Terry

It’s hard to believe it will be a year ago already, that our angel Ralph went to heaven. Last Friday my dad passed away, Ralph’s grandfather, who would have know, they would meet again so soon. Ralph, always said hey pop Whatz Up!! Oh check the plumbing downstairs, change the washers, ok, Pop, I’ll do it later, never saw him again. It’s ok, Ralph you and pop can be together now and not think about anything, and just be at peace. Both of you will always be in our hearts and we will always remember the good times. Love Dee and Romance

I didn’t know Ralph but from what Michael has told me about him it sounds like he was an amazing young man. Michal told me he never complained about his treatments, he never got angry or discouraged. He never gave up!He is an inspiration to us.

I met Ralph and Linda at MSKCC while Ralph was going through treatment. My son also has ALL. We started talking one day and my son would look forward to seeing Ralph each time we went. I spoke to Ralph each time too. While he struggled with all the side effects from the meds, he was always polite and always talked to me. He always smiled and was calm. My son started to look up to Ralph when he saw how good he was doing from his transplants. He bounced back rather quickly compared to our 2 years of complications. The last time I saw Ralph at MSKCC he was walking the floor with his dad. It was not good at this point. But Ralph stopped and told me the cancer was back but he still managed a smile. Ralph has touched so many and he is missed. We only knew him a short time and he left a lasting affect on us, especially on my son, Cody. Through Ralph, we have met the rest of this amazing family and are glad to be able to share in his memories. RIP Ralph

It’s hard to believe its been almost a year. Mike and I were very lucky to have gone to Disney World with Ralph. We made great memories together that we will never forget. We just visited Disney with our two children and so many moments reminded me of Ralph. What made me happy was that Lucas remembered so many Disney memories from his first visit with Ralph too! Ralphie we miss you so much... Lucas misses you and wish Sophia got to meet you. The pain never goes away... Never..

So leo best memory with Ralph is when we were out and Ralph says Leo leave me on the conor don’t want my mom to see me creaping!!! Lol My best memory with Ralph was how his 21st birthday we celebrated it out 6 times and also eveytime that year we went out I always said it was his birthday and he goes Jee your crazy but I love the free cake and drinks and partying it hard!!! God I miss him xoxoxo Janine and Leo

Whats comes to my mind when I think of Ralph are the Giants, family and his big smile. The last time I saw Ralph was in the hospital. Even then he had a smile on his face and wearing his Giants pajama pants. That image of Ralph will always be in my mind and heart. I wish I would have known Ralph longer and better. But I am thankful for the amount of time I did know him. I can’t believe it’s almost a year.. RIP Ralph <3

Like many of you, I will cherish fond memories of my brother such as family vacations, holidays and other family gatherings. However, it’s the simplest of events that I will remember forever. The daily random phone calls about nothing, the late night texts beginning with, "Yo, what are you doing?" or "Where’s the kid?" and the nightly FaceTime chats. However, the absolute best memories I have of my brother were watching him enjoy a meal. There were so many dishes that Ralph loved and whenever he requested them, I tried hard to make sure I delivered. One day Ralph emailed me the Stew Leonard’s website, which had lobsters on sale. he didn’t write anything in the email, just included the subject "Hmmmm" and the site. That week I bought 16 lobsters and cooked them four different ways. It was such a memorable time!

Too many people have suffered from the terrible disease of cancer. It is a horror when it is an adult who has lived his/her life, but when it strikes a child? Words escape me. Keep up the good work of alleviating some of the burden on the family.

CONGRATULATIONS TO RED DOG!! MICHAEL YOU DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH THE FOUNDATION, I AM PROUD OF YOU AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS!! IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO SAY YOU ARE MY NEPHEW!! WISHING YOU GREAT SUCCESS AND GROWTH FOR 2012!! YOU KNOW YOU CAN COUNT ON THE ROMANCES FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT!! LET’S KEEP IN GOING IN MEMORY OF RALPH, WHO WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEARTS!! DENISE AND ROGER

Very happy to support this organization. Happy holidays to everyone!

Merry Christmas Ralph I miss you so much so strange for us not to have you here eating your favorite meal CHRISTMAS EVE!!! I remember and cherish the good times always kid!!! miss you so much I know your looking down and watching over us as our angel!!! Miss you cuz...... xoxoxoxoxoxo

Merry Christmas Red Dog our lives will never be the same. Hope your in a special place having the time of your life. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. We all miss you.

What a wonderful tribute to Ralph. His legacy lives on thru the reddogfund.

Merry Christmas!! in heaven Ralph. Still hard to believe that you won’t be will us the holiday season. Always in our hearts and think about you everyday. Miss You!! Love Aunt Dee and Uncle Romance

Merry Christmas to all the children in hospitals for this holiday season. I hope our small donation in honor of Ralph will in some way cast a bright glow from above and create a miracle! Merry Cristmas from Mar and Silver

Rest in Peace Ralph Califano. God bless Janine Nicoletti for keeping his memory alive. XOXOOX

In memory of Ralph Jr.--good luck with the foundation.

In memory of my daughter Staci, 11/8/85 - 11/1/10. Forever loved, always missed.

Hi there! We’ve never met, but I’ve heard some legendary stories about all of you at hunting camp. My name is Nina, and my dad is Mark Sabatino. This year for Father’s Day, he asked me to donate to this foundation as opposed to buying him a materialistic gift. My husband and I are blessed with two amazing children, and we are grateful to be able to help such a tremendous cause. Your strength and devotion to your brother is so moving. Thank you for encouraging us to help another family in need. -Matt, Nina, Charlie, and Brynn Checksfield

Bubbie, I think of you everyday and miss you so much. Your smiling face is imprinted on my heart and with each beat you will live in me forever. You were always so happy and I have to smile whenever I think about it. The strength you gave us all is the only thing we have to fall back on because without that we all would be totally lost. Love you always, until we meet again. Your Aunt Forever Mary Ellen

the califano family ~ you are all such a lovely group of people and i wish that i got to know you all sooner. ralph would always tell me such wonderful things about you all and he loved you very much. he was so lucky to have a family like you and that is what kept him going. this organization is such a wonderful idea and i will help out any way that i can. ralphie~ i miss you more and more every day and things just aren’t the same. even though you are gone, i still wake up every morning expecting a text message or a call from you... i miss your smile and your laugh the most and i can’t hear a nicki minaj song without thinking of you and she already drives me crazy. even though the outcome isn’t what i wanted, i still feel so blessed that you walked into my life. you truly are one of the most amazing people i ever met and i hope that i was able to bring you happiness for the last few months of your life. you will be a part of me forever and i will always love you. toni

Rest in Peace

Red dog the little time I got to spend with you really touched me, you were a stand up guy even when you were sitting down, you touched alot of people, you are loved and missed. Till we meet again watch over us. God took you because you were better than the rest of us still here, he had bigger plans for you.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. May memories comfort you and your family during this difficult time.

I work will Denise. I am was very happy to give to such a wonderful cause. Kathy

The Califano family - I am so sorry for your loss. From Joanne Alfonso I hear what a wonderful family you are. We spoke often about Ralph, and although I didn’t get the chance to meet him, from Joanne’s stories I felt joy at his recovery and great sadness when he lost the battle. My heart and prayers go out to all of you.

There isn’t a day that goes by that we are not thinking of you. We missed you at Lucas’ fourth birthday party, but i know you were looking down on all of us. As you used to say "it ain’t easy Romance", and we do know it wasn’t easy for you. We love you and miss you more than words can say. Love Aunt Dee and Uncle Romance

I Miss you Ralph you will always be in my heart, I know you’r up there watching over us xoxo kellly

Since you’ve been gone, it hasn’t been the same, and it never will be. There is a piece of my heart that is missing and a void in our lives that will never be filled. One of the hardest things for me was telling Lucas that you’re gone. He constantly asks for you and asks, "But who’s gonna play cars with me now?". Lucas didn’t have enough time with you, but we’ll make sure he’ll never ever forget you. We look at pictures of you and I always think to myself, "Best smile ever..."

I didnt know Ralph very well,but what I did know was what a nice young man he was. I have been to family gatherings being Im friends with his Aunt and Uncle and he was always a smiling, polite gentleman. It is such a tragedy that after fighting to survive for 7 long years, he had to loose his battle to cancer. Rest in peace Ralph, you are truly missed!

In the past seven years I have witnessed you fight an unbelievable battle against Leukemia. You stood tall and strong and took everything that was thrown your way. No matter how bad you were feeling at times you always managed to keep that smile going, which made everyone fall in love with. You are the true meaning of “LIVE STRONG”. I want you to know that it was my privilege and honor to have been able to call you my son. The time I spent with you wasn’t long enough but I will cherish every moment and everything that we ever did together. You were my son, my partner in crime, and my best friend. I am lost without you and broken beyond repair. Mr. Magoo you will now be my little Angel that I will love and miss forever—your father.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

God Bless your brother I lost my wife 9 months ago to Canser I will donate to the red dog fund later tomorrow, on line god bless your family... this is for Joanne Alfonso

Marv, Always know that I loved you like you were my own son. We will always keep you alive in our thoughts and memories. In your short life you touched so many. Please help us to stray strong.

My heart breaks for you. Please tell me how I can help. twitter @Cure_Leukemia on FB Jeffrey’s Voice ... Fighting for a Cure for Leukemia and Blood Cancers. Please tell your Mom I would love to talk with her. It is a hard journey. I am so sorry. Nancy Someone said,"To lose a parent is to lose the past. To lose a child is to lose the future." That is true ...

I feel so lucky that I had the chance to know Ralph. He was an amazing person who lit up the people around him. I can’t imagine the loss his loved ones are feeling and my prayers are with you all. I will always have Ralph in my heart and never forget his smile!

You were one of the strongest people I ever knew. We feel so lost without you. I know your looking down on us laughing. You fought Hard & Strong to the end. Miss you Red Dog

My thoughts and prayers go out to your family. This is such a wonderful cause!

It has been many years since I have seen The Califano family but I have very heart warming memories of times together. I was very saddened to hear of your loss and our prayers and thoughts are with you all. The Mead Family

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this most difficult time in your lives. It’s so wonderful that you have set up this website for such a beautiful cause.

Ralph I miss you so much. it’s hard to live without you.Love you forever, Always in my heart.

I feel honored to be able to help contribute to the Red Dog Fund in honor of my Ralph. With all of the members of our family that were there and supported Ralph during his battle, it is rewarding to know that we will be helping families with their own battle. Ralph was an amazing person, who absolutely never gave up, and always had a smile on his face. I will take with me his memory, honor, and all the amazing years we spent together as a family. I will never forget his hugs. They were the best. I love you Ralph! Great job Frank and Mike. What an amazing tribute... xo

Truly amazing how people can come together during difficult times. MISS U RED DOG!

I’m happy to donate to such a great tribute to your brother.

Frank & Michael, your brother Ralph would be so proud of you guys because of this cause. Your brother was a fighter and God needed one Heaven, we must believe he is in a better place. I only met Ralph a few times but through Joanne, all of us at the Le Amiche Lodge felt as if we knew him and the entire Califano family forever. God bless all of you through this very sad time.

My thoughts and prayers are with you all as you find the strength to get through this difficult time. Whenever I was in Ralph’s presence he was smiling and happy. I am so glad that I have that memory of him to keep with me forever. This is a great way of honoring his memory!

MY lil cuz Ralph love you more than anything!!!! you were like my lil brother ill never foget you, you are on me for life now too!!!! all the good times cuz..... miss you so much!!!!!!!!! now take care of all of us and be our "lil Ralph Angel" you fought and long and stron battle LIVESTROG!!!! love you Janine ASK (THE JUICE as you caleld me)!! ;(

I miss you more than words can say.

I couldn’t think of a more special, honorable, and selfless way that you are honoring your brother. Donating is the least we can all do. May Ralph rest in peace.

I was happy to donate to such a wonderful and special cause in memory of Ralph. Although I did not know him personally, he was always in my thoughts and prayers. I am a member of LeAmiche Lodge and through Joanne Alfonso, we were always thinking of him and the entire family, as we are now. You are all in our hearts and thoughts. Keep thinking of the good times and special moments you had with Ralph!!!!!

Heaven Has A New Angel your pain is gone your stay was short your memory will last forever you’ve touched so many loved by all there for us we were about to fall a whisper of an angel your words will be the glory of an angel your light shall be our new guardian angel you will be Heaven has a new angel and his name is Ralph J. Califano

What a wonderful and thoughtful idea! Although we did not know Ralph personally, we know of his great strength and spirit through Mike, Susie and Lucas. May he rest in peace.Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew and loved Ralph.

There are those who live a lifetime, but make a small difference in the lives of others. Then there are those who live a short life and have the greatest impact in the lives of many. They touch lives and in turn, touch many more. Ralph is such a person, through his personal sacrifices and bravery, he has touched and enriched others because he was there to show love and strength. I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing him, but already feel the impact of his short life through another he has touched. Thank you for allowing me to intrude on his memory. May he rest in peace.

Love You Bubbie

Lil’ Ralphie, Your smile was like a ray of sunshine and your personality made us want to know you more. You were lucky to be born into the Califano Clan but more lucky was your family to have you for the 24 years thay had you in their lives. You will always be our hero! We will always remember you and love you, Jim, Terry, Tom, Will and Andrew Collingham

Love you cuz...