rhodyram

October 4th, 1974 - May 28, 2006

I miss my friend Mitch very much.

Mitch passed away in May of 2006. I thought it would get a bit easier, and that I would try to disconnect him from a lot of my everyday thoughts, making it a bit more bearable for me to deal with.. or, that time would heal and I would achieve better understanding for why such a terrible thing would happen. but, I was wrong and I think about Mitch all the time, and feel a part of me has truly died with him. I’m sure of that now.

We met when we were 10 years old, campers in the same bunk at Surprise Lake Camp for years, and then we moved on to work at Camp Monroe when we were 15 with a few other friends.

He always went great lengths to visit me over the years, and he knew everyone. I would constantly get a “yo, how’s Mitch, when is he coming up again?” from my college friends, and that was always so amusing to me… but it didn’t matter, whoever Mitch touched in life he made an incredible impact.

While it’s been so cool to meet up with friends from camp 20 years ago (there’s a big group on Facebook) it hurts to know that Mitch would have really enjoyed connecting with people and to see photos from when we were young.

Since the day I returned from his funeral in Florida two years ago, I have two photos by my bed, one of just Mitchy, and one of Marc, his best man adjusting Mitch’s tie on his wedding day. On my coffee table in the living room is another photo of Mitch, with his lovely wife Theresa, along with my gift for being in his wedding party - a really nice flask with my initials, that I will have forever to remember him.

Mitchy would always bring up the most bizarre, how the hell did you remember that stories. He had a story for every one of you, I swear! If you just read that thinking I meant someone else - no, if he met you he very likely had a funny story about you. and, funny wasn’t even the word with Mitch…

Mitch was my childhood friend, my best friend, like a brother… this wasn’t supposed to happen, he wasn’t meant to go at such a young age… we were supposed to grow old together. I will continue to think about him all time time, and Mitch will live life forever through his friends, family, and myself…

my wish now, is that he is with Shady Lady my beautiful Rottweiler that past recently and that they are chilling together in heaven… and that Mitch is her Dad for now, and she is bringing great comfort to him.