Rifle, Colorado

Maximalist Memorials:  It doesn't take a mausoleum to achieve maximum impact. It takes love from those left behind, love expressed in words, photographs, icons, and mementoes. Here's the inscription: "He is who you want to be, everybody does.  He’s 5'11" and has dark brown hair with vibrant hazel eyes that warm you when you look into them. Courage is built like an athlete that comes from years of baseball and football. But courage has more than looks, much more. Courage was born a leader, when he speaks you can’t keep from listening, but the path he walks is the one you want to follow. He cares so much. Sometimes a little to much. Courage just wants love. He doesn’t see that I love him, more than anything in the world. If only he had closed his eyes one last time to see how much he means to me. He takes charge, on the court, the field, at home, class, and everywhere else. He was the athlete with the biggest heart and the natural talent, you didn’t find that in anyone. People envy him so much, but that’s a good thing. To envy him means that you will push yourself to become someone to be proud of. He pushed himself for nobody but him, he loved the feeling of knowing how well he did in something. He didn’t do it for everyone else, he did it for him. You may call him perfect, or flawless but is there really anyone like that?  He’s the oldest of 5 children, he took his siblings under his wing, he promised to himself that he would protect them from everything he could. Courage may seem unhuman to you, and now he is, but when he was just like you and I he hurt just the same. Open your eyes sleeping angel, just one last time. Courage you were strong, you fought till the end. All I want to say now “Take my hand courage and never let go. I promise you won’t have to walk alone.” But I lost him, he’s wandered too far from his path. Now he’ll never be able to hold my hand again. Courage was only a boy but he fought like a man. He is gone now but his legacy will carry on." Rose Hill Cemetery. [2013]