Brian - From one grieving parent to another, please know that the journey before you will be a tough one. If I have survived the loss of a most precious son, you too will survive the loss of your most precious son. Your pain from your loss will get lighter, with time, it will take time. But know you will never get over your loss, but through it. The hardest part is after the service and being alone in your thoughts, as it will come back in waves. And just when you think it's over, something will happen and there it will be again. While there are several stages of grief, a grieving parent seems to have all of them overwhelmingly, at once, at times. Do not let grief guilt overtake you. It is one of the worst things a grieving parent can do. No matter how our child died, we all experience the "what ifs", please know that is the hardest part about the loss of a child. The only way I justified my loss (to myself) was that we all have a "birth" date, and we all have a "death" date, and we have no control over when those dates occur. While our grief is similar, it is different. Be kind to yourself and let yourself work through the grief journey. This was one of the last Bible verses I saw prior to Nick passing away. It is still one of my favorites. I will pray for you and your family. Just keep remembering the good times, as I know they bring me much peace and happiness through all of my losses. Your beautiful blue-eyed, blonde-haired son will be forever missed, and I know he is in the loving arms of our family in heaven. Thank You for remembering my parents and my son in Clint's obituary, as it was beautifully written. You have no idea how much I appreciate the honor for Nick.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Sincerely written with much love, prayers and hugs!
Auntie Kari Jo Kelly Hamme
Mother of Nickolas Allan Hamme (deceased)
Mother of Clint's cousin's Amanda and Bryanna