Caleb
My husband lost his hunting buddy.
Caleb hit a semi truck head on in a treacherous stretch of road (lots of winding curves in a short stretch) on his way back to school from visiting his girlfriend in his home town. This happened between 11:00 and 11:30pm on Wednesday (September 20), and he was killed instantly. The truck driver is unharmed.
We were notified by D's parents at 4:30 yesterday morning. It was the last thing we expected, and my beloved crumpled. When he came back to bed, the tired face had transformed into grief itself. My first thought was that Jack, his horse, had died, but my next one was, "That doesn't make any sense!" Because unless he got out and was hit or something, we would be the first to know, and his parents wouldn't come tell us. We'd go tell them. And then he told me that Caleb was killed in a car wreck, and the world stopped.
My sweetheart did not go to work yesterday. He did manage to go today, but we still can't believe that this isn't just a bad dream. Memories of Caleb are going through both our minds. We loved him so very much, and I looked forward to seeing him graduate, get married, have kids, a career in music, and come home for holidays and reunions. But it was not to be.
Ma is suffering, for she lost her father six weeks ago, and her baby grandson a couple days ago. Until Yance and Levi came along, Caleb was her baby. And in a way, he remained her baby.
But Caleb wasn't just a loss to the family. He made a difference in so many people's lives at school, both high school and college. Many, many people mourn him.
He was a son, grandson, great-grandson, younger brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend.
And a big piece of my beloved.
When D and I were courting, Caleb was the one mentioned most in his letters. Caleb was his special buddy, a crazy, bad-with-money, terrible shot, hard working hunting buddy.
When I met him about twenty-five months ago, I was amused. He was such a kid then, but in the two years I knew him, he grew up. He loved his music, his family, and God.
I dreamed that at a major wedding anniversary, D and I would get a picture of the entire wedding party together. Us, our sisters, my brothers, Kmarie, Lisa, our best man, and Caleb and his older brother. Never could I have thought that Caleb would be gone before we had been married eighteen months.
He had such a bright future, and his personality was always one of laughter, life, and joy. The high school band he graduated out of at the end of May, and the college band he entered last month, misses him.
One of the last times we saw him was on August 6, at Pop's funeral. He played Taps for his great-grandfather.
This morning when I went to go feed Jack, there was something missing in the air. A bright young man is no longer with us, but his memory is. Yance will never remember his cousin Caleb. But we will, and we will tell him stories as he grows up of the young man he never knew.
There is a lot of sorrow as we remember him. But we know he has gone to Heaven, and we will see him again some day. We will move on, and one day there'll be laughter without tears as we recount his adventures and misadventures.
We loved him so much.
Goodbye, Caleb.
Caleb hit a semi truck head on in a treacherous stretch of road (lots of winding curves in a short stretch) on his way back to school from visiting his girlfriend in his home town. This happened between 11:00 and 11:30pm on Wednesday (September 20), and he was killed instantly. The truck driver is unharmed.
We were notified by D's parents at 4:30 yesterday morning. It was the last thing we expected, and my beloved crumpled. When he came back to bed, the tired face had transformed into grief itself. My first thought was that Jack, his horse, had died, but my next one was, "That doesn't make any sense!" Because unless he got out and was hit or something, we would be the first to know, and his parents wouldn't come tell us. We'd go tell them. And then he told me that Caleb was killed in a car wreck, and the world stopped.
My sweetheart did not go to work yesterday. He did manage to go today, but we still can't believe that this isn't just a bad dream. Memories of Caleb are going through both our minds. We loved him so very much, and I looked forward to seeing him graduate, get married, have kids, a career in music, and come home for holidays and reunions. But it was not to be.
Ma is suffering, for she lost her father six weeks ago, and her baby grandson a couple days ago. Until Yance and Levi came along, Caleb was her baby. And in a way, he remained her baby.
But Caleb wasn't just a loss to the family. He made a difference in so many people's lives at school, both high school and college. Many, many people mourn him.
He was a son, grandson, great-grandson, younger brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend.
And a big piece of my beloved.
When D and I were courting, Caleb was the one mentioned most in his letters. Caleb was his special buddy, a crazy, bad-with-money, terrible shot, hard working hunting buddy.
When I met him about twenty-five months ago, I was amused. He was such a kid then, but in the two years I knew him, he grew up. He loved his music, his family, and God.
I dreamed that at a major wedding anniversary, D and I would get a picture of the entire wedding party together. Us, our sisters, my brothers, Kmarie, Lisa, our best man, and Caleb and his older brother. Never could I have thought that Caleb would be gone before we had been married eighteen months.
He had such a bright future, and his personality was always one of laughter, life, and joy. The high school band he graduated out of at the end of May, and the college band he entered last month, misses him.
One of the last times we saw him was on August 6, at Pop's funeral. He played Taps for his great-grandfather.
After that, it was a mid-August visit, and he did some shooting with my sweetheart. Looking back, it was one of the best final memories we could have.
There is a lot of sorrow as we remember him. But we know he has gone to Heaven, and we will see him again some day. We will move on, and one day there'll be laughter without tears as we recount his adventures and misadventures.
We loved him so much.
Goodbye, Caleb.
Caleb sounds like a wonderful man and I truly wish I could have met him. I am so sorry for your loss.
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