KT,
Yesterday was truly remarkable. Somehow, an entire community from far flung places, from different generations, and from different walks of life all came together at one place and one time to celebrate everything about you that changed all of us. Even more crazy: We came together on your turf, a football field. It was a radiant day with sun, a slight breeze, and a huge gathering: Dogg Man, I don’t know how you pulled off having 400 people come together and as your Mads said so eloquently it was the biggest tail gate party of your brief life with us.
Instead of sitting in bleachers to take sides, we were all on your side. Amazing words, tributes, memories, images. A chronology of your life from a fun loving child to your last days as a beautiful young adult. We listened and brought you into focus so that we won’t lose focus: To bring into our world the magic way that you brought others into your world.
The day began as all days do: Previously. Arrangements, traveling, schedules, calendars, time and timing, highways, flights, hotels, homes, meetings and meeting up, moving, getting there, being there. The places in the background of everyone was a puzzle of geography and even more so a puzzle of your influence. So much reach.
Today is quiet. The day began as all days do…
Your celebration was a view from people we knew not before as you traveled through your life in your way. Your celebration was on the field and in the quiet conversations of the tail gating party, over stories told about your way but in all ways with a smile and quiet acceptance. Your celebration carried itself because it could, because of you. The stories were effortless.
Footballers: Your people. More footballers: More of your people that became our people. University teachers: Your education people. UO, COE, and BRT: Your dad’s people. Friends of the family: Your growing up people. Sports Product Management: Your new family from Portland people. Richardson Sports: Your family with tethers to the world you were moving into people. This strange confluence of people carried through the celebration.
Tomorrow will begin as all days do but will be different. You will be sitting in a quiet place in the conversations. A gimble for balancing the way we think about each other. A reminder to smile. Be accepting. Be curious and adventurous at the same time because we can. Puzzle more and step back to re-puzzle. The work of managing the day will recede into viewing the day with a better sense of awe and appreciation. Attention to how we roll and maybe less drive on why we roll for no other reason than because we can and that’s just the way it is so get used to it.
KT: Today is quiet but your presence is thunderous and won’t let up. Please don’t worry about us. We’ll manage the arrangements, traveling, schedules…But we’ll keep you close to how we roll with you.
We love you so much and miss you every day.
Dad