A personal story about Memorial Day TLDR...

May 27, 2019, 9:45 AM

I was the only boy in my family. While I was blessed with 2 sisters, I always wished for a brother. Upon my arrival on campus, I reported to my dorm room on Johnstone D-2 not knowing what to expect. I was a fat, goofy kid, kind of shy and afraid of the unknowns of college life. When I walked in my room I was met by this tall, lanky, gregarious guy that treated me from the first second we met as if we had known each other our whole short lives. That was the first day of a friendship that would change my life, I finally had a brother. Through the awkwardness of starting college, learning to live in a communal dorm, I had a buddy. I got drunk my very first time our first weekend at Clemson, boy did we blow it out. We attended organizations day on Bowman Field on a blistering hot day just to see what clubs we might be interested in. Me, Student Government. Him, Dixie Skydivers. Our choices fit us to a tee! Me nerdy, him wild and free. As the semester flew by we were both active in our respective clubs enjoying hearing the stories each of us could tell. He jumped and jumped and jumped every weekend and by the end of our freshman year he had nearly 200 jumps. That brings us up to Memorial Day. We had a place at the beach and all of my friends were coming down on Memorial Day and stay the week. He called on Saturday to say he’d be down late Sunday night because he was going to squeeze in a few jumps in that day. He never showed. It wasn’t until later that night I was called an informed that my friend had died while doing what he loved, jumping from a perfectly good airplane. So, on this day that means so much, remembering those heroes that gave all so that we may be free, I also remember my brother, my friend. Through his kindness and friendship I became a different person, the man I am today. So, on this day, in my memories, I’m back on Johnstone D-2, I’m 18 years old again and remembering a quote he used to recite all the time...”Happy are those that dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to see those dreams come true.” Thanks for allowing me to post this in honor of my friend.

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A personal story about Memorial Day TLDR...

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