Remembering Alex

When thinking of Alex, the words that come to mind are: Strength
Giving
Extreme loyalty to his friends and family
Brutal honesty (what you see is what you get.)

A HUGE heart. He was a big strong guy, but had the softest heart inside.

He valued “realness” and people who were genuine and not fake. He was a born leader, and people just wanted to be with him and hang out with him, because they knew he would not judge you as long as you were honest and real with him. He would drop everything to be there to help out a family member or close friend in need anytime, no questions asked.

He was our glue. He lived in Portland, Seattle, LA and Reno, and if you were his friend, then all his friends became friends (which is evident by the continued turn out to our yearly celebration of his life in Reno every October). Very hospitable. If you were in town, no question no feeling of burden – his home was your home.

He definitely “lived life to the fullest”, and took life by the horns and ran. He was a risk taker and just went for it.

A big part of his personality was also his humor. He loved to poke fun at his friends (but that meant he loved you more). He didn’t get embarrassed easily. He often graced us with his goofy smile and just outlandish antics that left us rolling on the ground laughing!

He was also a man of faith in God. That was important to Him.

During his last days when friends would come to visit to comfort him, I watched quietly as he was the one doing the comforting. Truly selfless. He would look as his friends and say “just try and be a better person each day.”

If I could talk to him today, I would just tell him that I miss him every single day, and so do so many other lives he had such a profound effect on. I would also need to tell him the Seahawks won the Super Bowl finally! I would tell him that he will never be forgotten, and although he’s not here in flesh, his spirit is alive and well.

Most importantly I would tell him that I love him, and that I can’t wait to see him again in Heaven one day.

Alex wasn’t just my brother, he was my closest friend. He was my protector. He embodied strength and loyalty. He always had my back, and I always felt the safest and most secure when we was close by. He taught me the importance of how to be selfless to friends and family; something I am continually striving to learn to do better.