Dear Dad
Tuesday, June 03, 2003

I miss you so much lately it is unexplainable. I was very shocked and upset but for you

I’m glad it was sudden and not painful. I miss just having you around to talk things out,

And find out how your day was. Mom and Paige are having a lot of trouble with this too,

I hate to see them like that it’s been so hard lately. Everything that I see or touch makes

me think of you, I go outside to grab something and I can’t help but think of the fact that

we were going to build a shed under the deck this past weekend then after the shed was

done we were going to take out the boat and you were going to show me how to use the

oars that you just bought so I could catch a big trout! Next I go into my room or the

family room and I see the big buck that you got when you were a kid or the deer that you

and I got in the fall, my heart drops because I notice the fact that you won’t be able to

guide me to the next one. From now on you will always be with me, I loved you so much.

I keep trying to think that you are on a big vacation but that’s not working. I want to

thank-you for always being there to help me learn and respecting my rights. I don’t know

what we’ll do without you. You did so much for us. From now on the next deer I shoot,

the next fish I catch, the next girl I meet or bring home I’ll be thinking of you. When I

graduate, finish college and start work in an outdoor environment I’ll think of you and

how much you enjoyed the outdoors. I plan to try and follow and pick up on your work

ethic. You’ve always been the person I’ve looked up to for things, I have no regrets about

the relationship that we had. I’m only going to miss what would have been in the future.

There was no more that I could have asked for in a father than what I had in you. I found

a good quote in a book the other day which I think described you quite well which was

“ANY MAN CAN BE A FATHER BUT IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL TO BE A DAD”.

I will never forget any of our fishing trips as long as I live and I know that they’ll always

be with you as well. In the thought of hunting and hiking I went for a walk in the forest

the other day and saw 6 mule deer, I couldn’t help but think of how much you loved it up

there which brought back memories of when we’d go looking for a deer and see the elk

by Jaffray. In the summer I’m going to go out and camp by our lake and see if I can see

the elk and maybe a nice one for hunting season. It’s painful to think of the great times

we had just because there won’t be anymore. I will try and help out mom and Paige

through hard times just the way you would have done. I will never forget you in the days

to come. You were a really good guy who was appreciated by all his friends and family.

Love Ryan

xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo