You Never Know....

I mean, really, you never know. You never know when your life is about to turn upside down. You never know when someone that you love will be gone.

And for me, that day has come all too often.

I lost someone very near and dear to my heart on Thursday, September 17, 2009. Terry was so much more than the "neighbor at the cabin". He was a 63 year old bottle of energy. He was a kind, caring and compassionate man who instantly befriended anyone who spoke to him.

Terry loved the outdoors, fishing and his wife. He loved being up north and being out on the lake. Every single weekend I was up there, he was out, at 5AM fishing with Adam.

You have to understand that I lost my father in 1999, and Terry has been a second father to me ever since. He's offered guidance, love and understanding that only a father and daughter might share. He's helped me deal with hard times, helped me understand difficulties and he has just the right things to say every time you need a pick-me-up. He never left the cabin without saying, "I love you, kiddo. Make that boy of yours into a man"...and he'd hug me, kiss my forehead and give Jack knuckles.

He cared about everyone before himself. Terry always made sure that everyone had everything that they needed BEFORE he sat down. He always served himself last.

He was a Vietnam Vet with both a purple heart and medal of valor to his credit. He's a father, husband, grandfather, carpenter and friend...an amazing friend.

Weekends up north will never be the same. They'll never be as fun. They'll never be as exciting and they most certainly will never be as happy...for every single heart that Terry touched, it instantly turned into a wonderful friendship.

I'm at a loss. I've dealt with death so often in my life that you'd think I'd be numb to it. I'm not. This loss was so sudden and so heart wrenching that I'm feeling at a loss for everything. I'm still numb. This will hit me eventually, but it hasn't yet.

Please pray for his family. For his wife of 35 years, Cindy, and their children and grandchildren. Please help them try to make sense of why bad things happen to truly amazing people.