What a Year

So I got home the other night after a ride and check my messages and with some urgency my mother was trying to get a hold of me. I noticed that Aaron had tried to phone during the day but I figured I would just phone him when i got home as i talked to mom the previous night and he was doing ok, a lil down, but ok. I phone back to his room and Doug ( my dads good friend ) answered the phone and informed me that Aaron had passed on. I can't even begin to describe all the thoughts that rushed through my head. After just losing Dad in November it is a little much to have to fly back home to bury my brother as well. My thoughts shifted to my mother who has now lost the love of her life and her first born. Whatever sorrow i am feeling is magnified 10x for Donna I am sure. Losing Aaron is bittersweet. He has been bed ridden for about 15yrs and has been suffering through a spinal cord injury for 20+ yrs. He had the worst kind of injury where you are paralyzed but can feel all the pain the body can endure. His day to day life was a constant battle with pain and suffering. Imagine everything under your flesh on fire but not boiling over...for 20 years and you'll kinda get it. So while I am extremely sad that he has left this world, there is a little happiness there because he no longer has to suffer in silence. Ya, silence. He would rearely ever bithch or complian about what he was going through. He would just sit there and deal with it, how the hell he lasted this long is a complete fucking mystery to me! He is, along with my father, the toughest son of a bitch I know. To endure what he did and just go on day to day is a tribute not only his strength but his stubbornness as well, a fine Pringle trait. Thankfully he felt no pain in passing, he just went to sleep. Mom said he looked very peaceful, all the wrinkles on his face where smoothed out and finally looked as though he was pain free and comfortable.

I want to thank all the family that rushed out to be by my mothers side. without you there helping her through i am scared to think of how she may deal with the loss. To the Roth family for again being doing everything you have done from comforting us therough these loses while dealing with your own to the memorial logistics and so on. You are a special family and my heart will always be with you. To Rick, Wayne and Dave, Judy and LLoyd; It meant a lot to have you there to help me through this day, as you always have in the past. And to all Aarons friends who made the trip to come and celebrate his life. He often thought he was forgotten so it meant a lot to have you all there. I know that he was there with us tipping a few back and schooling all you on a pool table or crib board. And to Marianne and Jason: I have no words that could possibly describe what you meant to Aaron. You lightened his day every time you were near. talking shit and butting heads is what he loved to do and you two provided many opportunities to do so on a daily basis. Without the two of you i believe he would have been gone a long time ago.
Love you Bro