Stories being told around
our Thanksgiving dinner,
I remember the joy in your voice,
the excitement in your eyes.
I can picture your smile as
you described "routine" fire exercises and all
the perils you faced during the L.A. Fires,
all in a days work for a fire fighter!
I am warmed as I think of that day.
We won't be able to pass a fire truck without thinking of you.
When we hear of some forest fire on the news,
smell the smoke of leaves burning in a field,
we will picture you helping so many.
Your brothers from the Fire Family
will have to fight this next season
without you,
even as they fight back their tears.
Surely they will think of you often
as they're battling on the fire lines,
not letting the flame of your memory burn out.
When we, your family and your friends,
think of you,
the tears can't wash away the fire of your memory,
it will not burn out.
The siren of our sorrow will be going off
for some time as we mourn.
At times we will have to dig trenches
around our hearts to stop the pain;
when we can't see the forest through the trees,
we will fight on, honoring you.
Noel, the flames of you and your love
Will always be burning in our hearts.
_-James Estes March 24,2004
I love you for always, Noel.
Your Aunt Laura
This past Thanksgiving, we had a great family gathering at my mom's house. There were enough people that we had to have multiple tables, and somehow Noel ended up at the kids' table, surrounded by Michael, Shannon, Savannah, Jack and Jarod. Actually, it's no surprise he ended up with them, because the kids had been following him around all night; they were absolutely drawn to him. Children are great judges of character, and in Noel they recognized right away a bright smile, a gentle spirit, and a great big heart. Noel, your bright light touched us all.
Lots of Love,
Becky
The first thing that came to my mind was a time when we were probably 10 or so. We went up to Willits in the winter sometime, and since it had snowed a little, we wanted to go sledding. So, even though there was just enough snow to cover the ground, we went to some hill around there and went down on sleds. I remember Noel, Peter and I packed onto a sled and went flying down - but since there wasn't enough snow, we were hitting rocks and bumps like nothing else. But all three of us couldn't stop laughing the whole way down. It was probably the worst possible conditions, but we were just having the time of our lives regardless. It made me smile thinking of that. And also, how every Christmas, Noel and I would stand back to back to see who was taller that year...he won out I think.
Love,
Alex
