One of my favourite early memories of my brother-in-law, Kyle, was when he showed up at my parents' house with a copy of Dick Proenneke’s 'Alone in the Wilderness' for a family movie night. I’m not sure if it was because it was such an odd choice for a movie night, or if it was because I have always loved the idea of escaping to the woods for a few months, but it sparked a strong bond between us and became a running bit where we would say 'Just like Dick Proenneke Alone in the Wilderness' whenever we used sticks or rocks to make simple things, like garden markers.
Last Thursday, on what ended up being his last day on earth, I found myself sitting beside his bed along with my younger sister Jordyn, keeping him company as he slept. I remember wanting so badly to go back to a time when he was pain-free and healthy so we could joke and riff like we used to. The emotions were strong, and the room was too quiet, so I decided to turn on the TV to drown them out. The only thing I could think to put on was good ol’ Dick Proenneke, so I found it on YouTube, and we watched it together one last time. I didn’t know then that that would be my last moment with him, but I will forever be grateful for it.
So cheers to you Kyle! Thank you for packing a lifetime of fun and memories into such a short amount of time. ❤️