I can't believe how hard it is to actually write this down. I'm so glad that you are no longer suffering or in pain because I cannot begin to imagine the amount of pain you were in during your battle. There is so much I wish that I could go back and tell you, like I miss you and I love you. I never got the chance to say that and I wish I had. The fact that you were able to call me a friend is something that I will be forever thankful for. I know that I was one of the very few epode who got an inside look on your life and I would not trade that for anything.
There are just some times where I can't believe that you are really gone. i'm sorry that sometimes I get lost in being upset that you aren't here, but sometimes it is also to heavy to bear. I cried so much the night that I heard the news, 010811. That day is one I'll never forget. It hurts the way that all of this had to end the way it did, but even after knowing the ending I would do it all over again and not change a single thing.
Time has gone by so quickly without you here. i hope that you are still proud of me. i am here at college studying what you taught me to love. I know people don't understand why it is so tough to move on, or to get through class, or to talk about it, but it is still a struggle. Maybe because I have never lost someone so close to me as you were. Maybe it is just supposed to be this hard. I'll never really know for sure, I guess.
- I remember talking to you in the hallways when I was just a freshman and how you convinced me to take chemistry even though it was supposedly a class for juniors.
- I remember coming in for help every day at seven in the morning and even if I didn't need help, then just to come talk to you. You were always there to cheer me up when I was depressed. You never asked questions and I never explained anything, but you were there and I knew it.
- I remember coming to visit you at the campgrounds. I could sit there and talk to you about nothing,
- I remember geocaching with you. Even if you didn't believe me, I did have fun.
- I remember the day before that when I called you to come down and you told me that you had hurt you knee. Never would have thought then that it was that which caused your passing.
- I remember junior year starting and the doctors were putting off radiation for as long as possible.
- I remember you sharing with me things about your treatments that you probably shouldn't have because you knew that they would upset me.
- I remember you telling me that they were giving you ten years and that I had better hurry up to becoming a doctor so we could go to the concentration camps.
- I remember how sad that "ten year" timeline made me, but crazy how it accelerated much more quickly than expected and just over a year later, you're gone.
- I remember you starting radiation that January and you had to miss a month of school. You probably came a lot more often than you should have, but I know you loved being there and I was not going to complain about it.
- I remember going to visit you that summer at your house when you were going through radiation again. It hurt to see you in so much pain.
- I remember you showing me your collection of guns and then you telling me how Delila commented on how you must be pretty fond of me because you had never done that for anyone else before.
- I remember you saying that I was going to marry your grandson and then we would be relatives.
- I remember how we would always try to get you to tell us stories in class because you had the best stories.
- I remember spending a whole class period getting karate lessons from you.
- I remember starting senior year. I could see that you were getting more sick as time went on and it made me uncontrollably sad. however, I tried my hardest to not let it show around you because I knew it would break your heart. You began to come to school less and less which was terribly hard. Having someone else there who had to take your place was the worst. Then finally one day, you stopped being able to come altogether. School was hard without you there. Then the time came that December when you went to the hospital. My heart broke again. I tried to come see you as much as possible, to be there for you and for Delila. Some of the times you were conscious, but others you were asleep or in too much pain to comprehend that I was there. The day when I had to open a package of crackers for you was terrible because it showed me how weak the cancer had made you and I knew how strong you had been.
- December 23rd, 2010 was the last day that I saw you. I twas the last time I got to talk to you, to hold your hand, to pray that you would get stronger. When I got back from Florida, they weren't talking any more visitors, said that you had a week left.
Then that day came... January 8th, 2011. 010811. I cried when I found out. I became so weak. I couldn't handle it. My friend was gone. This was my first true loss in life and I couldn't take it. Then your memorial service came and I finally got to meet your grandson. I guess that was the last time I saw you. It hurt more than anything. You were lifeless; I had never thought of you in such a way and reality hit hard.
The next day was your funeral. No school on a terribly cold and snowy winter day. Seems fitting now looking back. We all wore our periodic table shirts and pigtails in our hair since it was your favorite. I was able to stay strong until they took your casket out and I lost it. That was the true goodbye. Until I am able to see you again one day, that was it.
- I wish for so much to be different.
- I wish I had told you more.
- I wish I could have changed how that terrible disease took you away.
- I wish you could have been at my graduation.
- I wish you could have talked to me about my change in colleges.
- I wish you could see my periodic table hanging up in my room.
- I wish you could email me about how to do homework.
- I wish you could give me your advice on boys. "All the want are two things, girls and beer." And, "Boys are jerks, if not today, then tomorrow." Never have I heard more truth than that.
- I wish you could help me figure out life.
But, I wish most of all that you were still here. however, I wouldn't trade the relationship that I shared with you for anything in the entire world. And even though sometimes it hurts like hell, I would go back and do it all again. You made me a better person, instilled a love of learning and chemistry in me.
The only thing that I regret is never telling you that I loved you. I just never found the words to say. You knew though and I knew the same. There is so much life ahead of me and I am sad that you are not here to share it with me physically, but I know you're there. The day after your funeral while driving to school, listening to Swim by Jack's Mannequin which was the only song to keep me sane, and seeing that sundog... I know it was a sign from you, telling me that you were okay.
Each day I am reminded of you by something, but I know you are now painfree and in a much better place. I will never forget you, Mr. Webster. You impacted my life more than anyone has and I am unbelievably grateful for the relationship that I was able to have with you. You gave me a glimpse into your life that I know very few people got to see and I'm so thankful for that. I pray that Delila is doing well without you, too.
It's hard. Each day is a battle, but time helps. I miss you so much. So much. I always will, until the day comes when I can be with you again. And until then i will remember what you told me...
"Just close your eyes and I am with you in your mind."I will never forget.
