For Brian

5/31/74 - 5/28/94

He stood 6'4", long and lanky with perfect posture. He had brown eyes, beautiful teeth and an inclination for different haircuts. He had a grin as big as all outdoors and when he laughed, everyone around him laughed. It was never fake, always genuine. He liked to make people laugh. When someone had a problem, he wanted to help. In doing so, it may have caused him to miss sleep and work or even cause damage to his vechicle. It didn't matter. I saw him do it time after time with no benefit to himself except the satisfaction the somebody needed him and he could be there for them. He never expected anything in return...he just wanted people to be his friend and he had many. In school, he never cared much for the academic part, but he loved the social aspect. He very seldom missed a day because he didn't want to miss something.....Because of his height he was on the basketball team, but his talent was in track and field....his passion was the highjump and could he ever jump. He was a natural. I once saw him jump 6'2", nearly his own height. He had a brother who was a year and a half younger. In childhood they were inseparable. He lead his little brother through Sunday school, Little League and Cub Scouts. The two of them never really fought. I never saw one truly angry at the other. As they reached their teens they found their own interests, but little brother still followed his older brothers lead often. They even had the same after school jobs. They had their own personalities, but they were as close as brothers can be. They would defend the other, confide in each other, harass, share and help each other. He had a girlfriend. Soon after they met, they too became inseparable. She was everything to him and he did everything in his power to please her. She was his priority and he wanted to marry her...there was no doubt in his mind that he loved her. He worked in a plastics plant where his grandpa had worked. His goal in life was to attend a police academy to become a cop. He had to wait until he was 21 years old......His name was Brian....He never achieved his goals...... three days before his 20th birthday......he died.........It started as a typical Saturday night. Brian was scheduled to work, but as usual he found someone to work in his place....Saturday nights were for fun, not work. He and his girlfriend left our house early in the evening, planning to go to the stockcar races. Before he left town, the fire siren blew for an accident. Being a volunteer fireman, he responded. I watched as he physically tried to pry a car from a telephone pole. His father yelled to him "Brian just be careful." He was trying with all his might to help. We, at that moment, were witnessing his last effort......As he got into his beloved red CRX, I called to him my usual "wear your seatbelt and be careful." He flashed me that smile and drove off, radio blaring. That was the last smile he would ever give me. Later that night I saw a friend driving his car, so I knew his plans had changed...sometime within that next hour I heard that an ambulance had been dispatched to a friends house for a fireworks explosion. My heart jumped when I realized Brian could be there....When I arrived all I saw was flashing red lights. I was told I'd better get up there.........The sight I saw will be burned in my mind forever.....my sons pale face and EMT's doing CPR on him....Oh MY GOD.......Much later I learned what happened.....Brian and his friends had decided to set off a home-made cannon..something they had done before. This time something went very wrong. The cannon which had been sitting by a campfire, fell inuntil it was red hot.They took the cannon and placed it into a creek to cool it off. Later they packed it , and lit it, and moved 50' away thinking it was a safe distance.......The sights and sounds of that night will remain in my mind forever....the looks of terror on friends faces....his brother so afraid, feelings he should never have to bear.......the helicopter coming in for a landing....the doctor......Brian should have had more time for life...................Much more...............written: summer of 94.....I Love You and Miss You Baby.....I never dreamed I'd have to live without your smile....................Love, Mom

My Favorite Web Sites

Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Younger years.

Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!