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"OMG mom! Travis died!" That was the text message I received from my 13-year-old son, John Michael, at 6:30 p.m. July 3, 2007. It was a Tuesday. I know the day well because two of my sons were born on the 3rd of July. Jacob, my now 18-year-old, is one of them. Travis was one of his best friends.
Travis and his younger brother Evan spent summers with us in Maine. Travis' mom and I would talk about how our teenagers could be such a handful, and what we should do with them. How could we teach them? How could they ever mature into productive adults?
This year both boys went to Virginia Beach and with their respective musical groups, Winds and Acapella from Marlborough High School, were recognized for great achievement. Two weeks ago, the boys went fishing. I know because I got the text message picture of the very large fish they caught together, right after they caught it!
Travis was working, as well as playing in the Winds and going to school. He recently saved quite a bit of money, according to his younger brother Evan, although no one was sure what he was saving for. Evan told us Travis always told him, "you need to live life to the fullest."
He usually said it while spreading way too much butter on his bagel, according to his dad.
Travis had his own way of seeing the world, which occasionally resulted in the banging of heads with many people, but he always had a quirky way of getting you to laugh at him, just when you were ready to blow.
Travis died while working on a farm. The day he passed on, ironically enough, my Jacob went skydiving from 13,000 feet, celebrating life, his new- found adult freedom and spreading his wings to catch the wind. The realization of the beauty and bitterness that adult life offers met him on the ground.
Life has a bizarre way of playing itself out. There's no plan, no plot. Things happen that seem unfair and unkind, but they happen nonetheless.
I hope all who knew Travis can find solice in knowing how much love was shared and is still shared in this amazing group of young friends. Know that as much impact as Travis made in the lives of each and every person close to his heart, he was impacted just as deeply. I've watched you all grow in to remarkable, warm, caring people. I watched Travis for just as long, and I know, without a doubt, he loved you all. And I am sure Travis will be watching over all of you.
Some things will never make sense. How can a young man just stepping out into the world have his life stripped away? How can a family begin to heal when a void is left to big to ever close.
My son lost his best friend the other day,
My friend lost her oldest son the other day,
The world lost another soul the other day,
And I lost a bit more faith..
Kimberly Hueras is a Marlborough resident.
Travis and his younger brother Evan spent summers with us in Maine. Travis' mom and I would talk about how our teenagers could be such a handful, and what we should do with them. How could we teach them? How could they ever mature into productive adults?
This year both boys went to Virginia Beach and with their respective musical groups, Winds and Acapella from Marlborough High School, were recognized for great achievement. Two weeks ago, the boys went fishing. I know because I got the text message picture of the very large fish they caught together, right after they caught it!
Travis was working, as well as playing in the Winds and going to school. He recently saved quite a bit of money, according to his younger brother Evan, although no one was sure what he was saving for. Evan told us Travis always told him, "you need to live life to the fullest."
He usually said it while spreading way too much butter on his bagel, according to his dad.
Travis had his own way of seeing the world, which occasionally resulted in the banging of heads with many people, but he always had a quirky way of getting you to laugh at him, just when you were ready to blow.
Travis died while working on a farm. The day he passed on, ironically enough, my Jacob went skydiving from 13,000 feet, celebrating life, his new- found adult freedom and spreading his wings to catch the wind. The realization of the beauty and bitterness that adult life offers met him on the ground.
Life has a bizarre way of playing itself out. There's no plan, no plot. Things happen that seem unfair and unkind, but they happen nonetheless.
I hope all who knew Travis can find solice in knowing how much love was shared and is still shared in this amazing group of young friends. Know that as much impact as Travis made in the lives of each and every person close to his heart, he was impacted just as deeply. I've watched you all grow in to remarkable, warm, caring people. I watched Travis for just as long, and I know, without a doubt, he loved you all. And I am sure Travis will be watching over all of you.
Some things will never make sense. How can a young man just stepping out into the world have his life stripped away? How can a family begin to heal when a void is left to big to ever close.
My son lost his best friend the other day,
My friend lost her oldest son the other day,
The world lost another soul the other day,
And I lost a bit more faith..
Kimberly Hueras is a Marlborough resident.