22.

To my airmen in the sky, happy birthday.
I’m sorry this world couldn’t keep you safe and I’m sorry the demons got the best of you.  Since you passed I have learned, lost, and loved. I never knew how much of an impact you had when you were here with us on Earth and I honestly wish I did. This post is painful for me to write but nothing could have equated to the pain you felt moments before your passing. I wish I was there to talk you out of it but I will remember our last phone call 3 days before you left us. I kept telling you “9 months. That’s all that is left”. Now, it would have been 4 months and you would be home. I think about that as everyday passes. One less day of you being there serving our country and one day closer to being reunited with the people who love you the most.

Today we celebrate your heart and your spirit as it lives within everyone who has ever crossed your path. Tony you have always been in my corner and supported me with everything that I ever wanted to accomplish. Your own dreams were in reach and I knew that one day you would be calling me telling me about all the things you’ve finally accomplished. I know I won’t get that phone call anymore but regardless, I am proud of your valiant effort, your compassionate heart, and your unconditional love for every person around you. To me and those who knew you personally, that how you are going to be remembered. The only person I have wanted to talk to has been you. No matter who came into my life you always told me to protect my heart and to do what always makes me happy. In the past 3 years we have laughed a lot and cried a lot. No matter how busy you were you always made the time to check in on me. I am eternally in debt to our friendship.

I hope wherever you are there are motorcycles and lots of backroads. I hope that your heart and your mind is finally at peace and I can only pray that we are all making you proud in some ways.

I love you and thank you

– T.

I know that this post is a bit different than those on my blog and one that I have written in the past but this is something that has played an immense role in my own development as a person. I would do a disservice to those actually listening if I wasn’t transparent about something that has impacted my life in ways I could have never imagined. These last 5 months have been some of the hardest. –