My Amazing Brother David

My youngest brother, David, passed away the 14 of April at the age of 58. It was very sudden and unexpected, which made it that much more painful.

I'm still processing what happened. I go back and forth with grief and disbelief. My brother was such an energetic and active guy. He played sports, watched sports, spent time with his wife and kids, and was a friend, as well as a Father, to his two boys, Matt and Brandon.

He had a great sense of humor that included everything from bad jokes to teasing sarcasm. He would banter good naturedly with his wife, Penny, and it was a joy to watch him and her interact with each other. There was never any real meanness to their interactions. It was just being playful with each other.

My grief for the loss of my brother was only surpassed by the grief I witnessed of his wife and children. I haven't seen that kind of devastation in quite a long time. Dave was an integral part of his wife and kids' lives. They were almost inconsolable during the first days of their loss. It was painful to watch. Yet, in spite of their loss, the three of them bonded closer together and did their best to console each other.

I can't even fathom losing someone that I had lived with and loved for 30 years. Someone that had been a partner, friend, and companion.

My sister-in-law has shown a strength and resilience that I'm not sure I could've mustered under such an emotional and devastating event. She has managed to fight through her grief and busy herself with getting her life back on track. She has had to sort out all the details of my brother's funeral, find legal papers, evaluate finances, and still find time to help her two sons deal with their Father's passing. I so much admire her strength and bravery. Again, I'm not sure I could function like she has under the crushing grief she has experienced.

I know grief and loss regarding a loved one lessens with time. I think if you manage to work through the initial grief period and manage to keep your sanity, life will eventually have some normalcy to it.

I love my sister-in-law and my two nephews so much. It hurt incredibly watching them go through this life-changing loss. I do find some comfort in the fact that Dave's wife and kids will be okay at some point. I pray that they do find the peace and normalcy that they had when my brother was alive. Together, they will heal their broken hearts and remember the wonderful guy that they've lost with a mixture of loss and gratitude that he had been a big part of their lives.

Rest in peace, Dave. We love you and will always miss you.