It’s been the biggest struggle to try to figure out what to say, what to share, and even how to feel over the purposes for today.

It’s been near 16 years since I’ve last talked to Bryan. Complete silence after 2-1/2 years of nothing but him.

But when I got the message, my heart still broke a little, as if those 16 years were just a blink. I hoped a million things for him, but never this.

My memories are fuzzy, and I don’t have pictures to share or letters, or any of the things to remember with. But I knew the same heart y’all did. It was said the good days were great, but his bad days were hard- and it was the same then.. those good days were for the record books.

When I think of Bryan, I remember Applebees. Harriet’s Bluff. Bonfires. Beach camping. Vero. Sebastian. Outdoors. He was the first person I ever met that loved the beach more than I did. He was free spirit personified. A breath of fresh air. He got my blazer stuck behind the power lines. We washed beach sand and salt water off in random hotel hot tubs. Beer pong in garages. Little Talbot. He could write the most beautiful things. He was an artist and a poet and an influencer before an influencer was a thing. And that if you’re gonna learn to surf, it’s way funnier to start trying on a shorty. His smile.. that damn smile. I remember how much he adored his sister, and loved his mom - and his favorite phone calls were his cousins.

I’m thankful I got to hear and remember him in a fond way today at the memorial. I hope the beach celebration afterwards was everything he would have been happy to partake in. I hope the surfboard catches all the waves, big and small - bc a wave is a wave is a wave.