Our Warriors Who Inspire Us

Chris – or “Mister,” as we liked to call him – was an amazing child. I know everyone thinks their kids are amazing, but he was truly something special. He was different.

When I think about Chris, the first characteristic that comes to mind is his tremendous kindness. He was the kind of person who loved to help others. He loved to share. He was the kind of child who would give away beloved toys to friends who didn’t have any at home. The kind of child who took to those who were different, befriended them and helped them when they were struggling. The kind of child who didn’t choose toys for himself when offered, but instead picked them out for his brother and sister. The kind of child who, every time we saw a person holding a sign on the street would ask, “Mommy do you have any money to help them?”

In some ways, Chris was wise beyond his years. He was an old soul. His greatest priority was always family. Although he had many friends, he never asked to have play dates on the weekends or to go to a friend’s house; Chris always wanted to spend time with family. When he asked to go to special places like Sky Zone or the park, it was always with his brother and sister. Whether it was game nights, watching movies, bike rides, sleepovers, or camp outs in the living room, Chris always wanted to be surrounded by those he loved.

Chris was a bright light, and it never took anyone more than a couple of minutes to see how special he was. He was so happy. When he smiled, he had a sparkle in his eyes that could light up the room and brighten anyone’s day. He had this infectious laugh; when you heard it, you couldn’t help but to laugh yourself. And he loved to make others laugh. With his silly dances, goofy faces, and rambunctious nature, it was one of his greatest joys to make people laugh.