kyle

Brian and buddies before Homecoming 2007...Kyle is far right 

I think some of our best friendships take root during our youth.  We are more transparent during that  time and the walls and fronts we put up as adults haven't quite formed yet. We laugh about the same things, don't stress about political or religious viewpoints and our only worry is our complexion. I was the type of kid who had a few really close friends...never was the popular girl. My daughter, Kristin, had plenty of friends but somehow during her youth, we escaped all the girl drama and the friends she brought around were golden. My son, Brian, had tons of friends during high school. It seemed like with every inch he grew, he gained ten more friends....probably because he played football and with that sport comes cheerleaders and friends of cheerleaders. Even though he really enjoyed football, I think he enjoyed the guys on the team even more.  One of the friends Brian met through football was a great guy named Kyle. He was tall, athletic, smart, good looking, extremely funny and a great conversationalist. Kyle could talk himself out of any situation because he was so charming and everybody loved him. I always thought that one day he would make a great President or actor...or an actor who plays a president. When Brian got hurt right before senior year, and could no longer play football, Kyle hung close. He visited Brian all the time and would come and kidnap him from the rehab hospital and wheel him across the street to a burger joint for a grilled cheese and a coke. A few months later was Senior Night for his football team. Each senior was honored and ran through a gauntlet of players and cheerleaders when their name was announced. Of course Brian was unable to run but sweet Kyle, pushed him all the way through. I hate crying but that did me in. Kyle continued to be the kid who picked up Brian for school dances and took him everywhere.  The great thing about Kyle was that their relationship really didn't change after Brian got hurt.  BI (before injury) Kyle and Brian did all kinds of crazy things together and that never changed.  I really appreciated Kyle, not just because he was great to my son, but because he was a quality human being. He would crash on our couch for days, have long philosophical conversations with my husband and me and make us laugh like no other.

Last year, on this day, I found out that Kyle was killed in a tragic car accident. It seemed unreal cause guys like Kyle don't die. He was filled with too much life and goodness to go away from us so suddenly. We all walked around in a fog for several days. Kyle is missed by so many people. He had friends by the dozens and a family that was crazy about him. His sweet mother, Donna, gathered some of his closest friends together last August and gave each of them a bracelet that contained some of Kyle's ashes. Brian wears his around his neck so Kyle is close by even today.

Brian's recovery has been so successful for lots of reasons but I think all of his loving friends who never saw him any different played a huge role in his success. They still show up, and do things together....things that 21 year old boys (men?) do. Kyle will be forever 21 and I know Heaven is a much more interesting place now that he is living there. On the other hand, our lives are a little dimmer cause Kyle was utter sunshine and lit up any room he entered. We really miss you Kyle! 

 Who is the sunshine in your life? Who would be your legs if your's didn't work? Who would take you to get a grilled cheese? We all need someone in our lives like Kyle...it makes the journey so much sweeter! 

Kyle and Brian at the park before Brian was injured