Sorry Dake. I honestly know that he had to be an incredible man, just by the way you turned out!
My heart hurts for your loss. I am just glad that he got to see what you and your cousins were able to accomplish. I'm sure that he is so utterly proud of you brother!
I'm sure that he touched so many lives. Rejoice that you got him as your father and mentor. All you can do is just try to make it through one day at a time.
My story of Dake was our high school ski trip when I learned how to ski. It took me ALL morning to come from halfway down the slope and I had all but given up. Dake talked me into going with him up the slope, I agreed and off we went on the ski lift. Halfway up I got ready to get off and he said "we are going to the top, so stay on". I told him I was going to surely miss the bus ride home and reminded him about my morning. He assured me that would not be the case and by the time I get down the mountain I would know how to ski...and enjoy it. I laughed. As we got to the top it was just him and me with wide open level ski path. We started down the hill, I fell and got up, fell more and kept getting up and Dake coached me all the way. I made it down the entire hill in 30 minutes and learned how to ski. I went up to the top of that mountain several more times before the bus left. Thanks to your dad I didn't give up, he encouraged me not to give up and I am thankful for him. Enjoy the frontier in heaven Big Dake! God's got Him an encourager in you!