• I’ve known you as long as I can remember. You were always good to me, always played with me. I looked up to you. I remember going to the beach when we were on vacation in Corpus Christi as kids. I tried to jump over the waves and failed miserably. You came up behind me and helped me jump over them. I remember feeding the seagulls… or trying to anyway. I got scared and pulled away every time one got near. But you loved it.

    As time passed, you began to drift away from the family. It reached a point where I had to gather up my courage just to give you a hug. It felt like I didn’t know you anymore….

    I’ve learned more about you in this hospital than I did my whole life. I learned that you have tattoos and that you were forced to hide them from our family. I discovered that, while you changed around our family, you’re still the same person I knew as a kid when you’re with your friends. I discovered how big of a heart you have. Kind of ironic considering your heart is the reason you’re here. But now all I can feel as I look at you and hold your warm hand is the painful coldness of dread, like thousands of needles in my chest stabbing from the inside out….

    Everyone’s here to see you. Your mom is yelling at your dad for daring to show his face. I can’t bring myself to hold your hand. You look so different from a few days ago. Your hand was warm then, but now you look so cold. I don’t want to feel that….

    It’s cold and the sky is hidden by clouds when we go outside, but we take little notice as everyone who loves you surrounds you. The first snow of winter falls, turning everything white with Heaven’s frozen tears as we watch you depart.

    May angels meet you at the door.