strong>Celebration of Life

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It’s 3:00 a.m. on Saturday and I do not know what to do with myself so I am taking it all out on my computer…

Daniel’s celebratory service took place yesterday at church and a number of people commented on how they felt that God was very visibly present. Thank you to all those who prayed for both Kevin and I because somehow we got through it all. The part that I dreaded the most was the crematorium service and I would have cheerfully traded anything with anyone not to be there. I was even trying to coerce a friend that she could take my place!!!

Kevin paid tribute to Daniel and his words are outlined below.

“In the last 10 days our world has been turned upside down and we all feel the loss of Daniel. I hope you can come to terms with this as I hope Sarah & I can in time. 17 months is not a long time but for Daniel it was a lifetime. Later today you will hear more about what he meant to Sarah and myself. You will also hear from others who knew him and the church service may give you some idea of the sheer number of people who feel the same loss we do.

I recently heard someone say “ God is most powerfully present when he seems most conspicuously absent” and I felt this summed up how I have felt. As I cuddled him for the last time I told him he had been a brave boy. I have called him lots of things in the last 17 months but the words that got the most immediate response from him were “good boy”. This was usually met with a huge smile and Sarah and I would say this to him many times and every time we would get the same smiling response. This is how I will remember him because to me he was always a good boy.

Daniel amazed Sarah and myself with his determination, strength, stamina, bravery, and his incredible outgoing personality. He loved people and people loved him. On countless occasions I have seen him shake with excitement and get so animated as if everyone and everything were his favourite. As far as he was concerned everyone mattered to him, young or old, little or large. He may have been complex medically but he had a simple approach to everyone he met. If you made him happy he would return the compliment in an instant. Maybe we can all learn something from Daniel by taking a leaf out of his book.

You all know what hurdles Sarah & myself have had to overcome. It has not been easy. We had ridden the emotional roller coaster only to find we had been glued to the seats for 17 months !. You have been with us and we value that. I am sure we all feel that in some ways the ride has been too short and that has left us wanting more. I would say to you that its quality and not quantity that counts. Cherish your quality memories of Daniel. He will always be as you picture him no doubt with a smile on his face.

To our families and special friends we thank you for being here today. Daniel is where good boys go and is free from his burdens. We all miss him but he is in a better place and as Sarah says playing with Uncle Jesus.”