I am grateful for the smiles of memories you sewed for us.
Do you remember sending me that water balloon launcher during my mission in Holland in 2001?
I can still feel the smile that spread across my face when I opened it. I had called you many times, ready to come home, feeling like I’d reached my limit.
You gave me words of encouragement, and a few weeks later, a package arrived just in time for Christmas—one that remains one of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received!
Sure, we had our laughs, launching fruit across the neighborhood roofs in Holland. But beyond the fun, that gift has left a lasting mark on my heart because of what it represented: you knew exactly what would lift my spirits. 😇
It reminded me that, even from afar, you were there, caring so deeply about my happiness.
You always went out of your way to make sure we were safe, happy, and thriving.
I often think about the rebellious courage you showed, even when others might have stayed quiet.
I still remember how you stepped in, without hesitation, to confront the man with a knife in Washington, D.C., or the time we were gold panning, and you, exhausted by the group next to us firing guns and throwing grenades, took it upon yourself to get the authorities involved to keep us safe AFTER you approached them (boy the late 80s were different)
In highschool, my room was covered in music and car posters. And when you came home with the “Deftones - Around the Fur” Cd for me and the poster that matched the cd cover, I was elated. I turned my 2pac off, and put that CD on because it had just come out. I was so happy.
I remember the time in 1996, walking around the church halls for an activity in my football “Who Said Sunday Was A Day of Rest” shirt you got me, and someone told me to remove it. Enter you, expressing how you care more about letting kids express themselves and be true to who they are “climb more trees”.
You understood me.
You are the reason I am who I am today—confident, resilient, a misfit, with nothing to hide and everything to share. I often joke with a friend that there are no skeletons in my closet, nothing hidden away… and that's all because of you—because of who you were and who you let me become. 🏴☠️
Lindsey and I still carry your baton, encouraging the kids to be true to themselves. We support their choices, urging them to live fully, explore the world, and follow their own desires and passions, regardless of societal norms. We tell them to create their own path, share kindness freely, and embrace their wild spirits.
Thank you.
I love you.
❤️
Jake