Happy Birthday Little Brother!

Thirty-Five years ago yesterday, February 1, 1974, this handsome little guy made his big entrance into this world. He was welcomed by his parents and his very excited sister. For 19 years he was a delight to all of us. He was a wonderful little brother!
Happy Birthday little brother! I sure miss you. I know your in a much better place. But my heart still aches at your absence.

It seemed unfair when you were taken from us so young. You were just becoming an adult, you had so much ahead of you. You would be thirty-five now. I don't know why that drunk driver had to be on highway 10 that night, at that time, in that curve. I don't know why it seems like the innocent suffer and the guilty go on to live out their sorry lives...hurting more people and spreading evil...I don't know why you died that March night on the side of that road, and the careless, thoughtless, selfish person who wasn't concerned about anything but having a good time, getting drunk and partying, survived.

It seems so unfair! But I know that God was there that night, He was in control, and although it grieved His heart to see someone throwing their life away like Garry Fox was doing, He cared enough for you. You were His child, someone that loved Him and lived for Him, someone who was a light to all that knew him. God was there to bring you home to live eternally with Him.

He was merciful in the taking; you didn't suffer, your body was left in almost perfect condition, you looked so handsome...just as though you had just gone to sleep, and stepped into glory!

In my mind, I imagine all of our family that has gone on before, waiting there to welcome you home. As I imagine you doing for the ones who have come after you. I know Mawmaw was so happy to join you there. She grieved so much for you!

Daren, I miss you so very much, even more as the years go by...

You were such a sweet brother...I wish I could have just five minutes with you, to tell you just how much I love you, how wonderful it was to have you as a brother. I know I wasn't always the best sister to you. The teen years were crazy ones and I didn't always see that the most important people were my family, and not my friends or the "cool" crowd. I know that later you understood that in your own life.

You were such a blessing to all of us who had the opportunity to know you, and so many people have told us since you've been gone, just what a blessing you were to them. We all still miss you. In a few weeks it will be sixteen years without you. In a few years, you will have been gone, longer than you were here. But the impact you made will live on and on...

I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday and tell you just how much I love and miss you!
Although in heaven, you don't have to worry about birthday's or getting older, but each year that passes we will always mark with joy, the day you came into our lives and will always remember with great sadness the day you left...