Sweet Memories

This is my brother-in-law, Scott. His birthday is today, he would have been 23. He tragically lost his life almost 7 years ago due to a motorcycle accident. He was 16. This is his last school picture taken his sophomore year in high school. There are only a few moments that I remember with him, but there are a ton of things that I remember about him. Here are just a few... he had the best smile, the bluest eyes, and the most genuine personality. He was sweet, kind, fun, hilarious, goofy, awesome, and a truly incredible person. Oh, and his walk. If you knew him, you know the walk that I speak of, if you didn't know him, well... I'm sorry, but it's indescribable. He is a person that I cannot imagine not having known. And although I did not know him very long, only 3 short months before his untimely passing, it only took me 3 short seconds to love him. I am so grateful just to have known him for the small amount of time that I did. And because of this, I am blessed.

This photo is one of the last pictures of Scott, it is actually the last family photo with him in it, taken a mere week before he passed. (The photo you see has been cropped and enlarged, but it originated from a family photo). It is amazing to me, that even in the midst of such tragedy, there is a bit of grace shining through. This last photo is proof of that. And even though he was unconscious, the fact that we were able to have that last day with him to remember and reflect with him still there was a moment of grace all in itself. God is amazing.

There are 2 more things I would like to say about this:

1) If you are the one driving the motorcylce, dirt bike, or ATV... ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET! It could save your life.

2) If you are driving any other type of vehicle... BE AWARE AND WATCH FOR MOTORCYLCES, DIRT BIKES, OR ATV'S! Remember that they are smaller than you and much less protected than you, which means you need to YIELD TO THEM! It could save a life.

If any of the persons involved in the accident would have done either of these 2 things, this tragedy could have been avoided.

Happy 23rd Birthday my dearest Scott. You are greatly missed.