Fare thee well.

Key West has suffered another loss. Mine and my brother's friend, Eddie Gates has passed away from an overdose. I feel bad for my brother because he was good friends with Eddie. I feel so bad. My heart longs to hug Michael and be with him right now, but I can't because he is too far away. I know he has dealt with so much the last six months and I cannot really begin to understand what is next.

Eddie got my brother and Alena together. He answered my prayers. I have memories of him throughout my crazy college years, all of us hanging out together. He was always super kind to me. He had a great voice. He liked my friend Rachael, and so it was in that way that I got to hang out with him where he would pay for everything and take us out on the boat. He was very caring. He was a good friend to my brother and for this, I will always be grateful.

This has been a heavy week. We started it out with a "william field trip", where he took me to a pile of rocks that have been laid in a circle right off of the shore of Higgs Beach. We sat there for a long time and the rocks became a force field around us. Next, we went to the Martello Towers and walked through the garden. It has changed since the hurricane, but is still very beautiful! I walked William through there when he was just a baby and took his picture in front of the giant tree that is no longer there. I thought at that time... "maybe I will get married here, in this beautiful garden." So much has happened since then. I felt bigger walking through there this time.

Here are some pics.

RIP Eddie Gates. Gone, but not forgotten. Dance with the angels.