You’ve been gone for a while now. I never knew how much your death would affect me until it happened. It’s been the worst and best year of my life, and I just wish you were here to see it. I know these thank you’s are long over due, but I’m sure there’s a computer in heaven for you to read it.

Thanks for being one of my biggest supporters

You never cared how little the accomplishment was. If I came to you excited about something, it was a huge deal.

You watched every documentary I told you about. Every. Single. One.

Every time I told you about a documentary I watched the night before, you’d go home and watch it. It didn’t matter what it was about, though we both particularly liked conspiracy theories. We’d discuss it again the next day, and you’d tell me what you thought about it. You always made time, and when you’d tell me about one you found, I’d do the same thing.

You always gave me a place to go

If I was in a fight with my mom, I could just text you and come over. There was food, company, and a family I came to love as my own. You’d cover for me no matter what, always saying I was babysitting when I was really just taking a break from my home life. You let me vent and cry. I’ll always strive to have a home as open as yours. But when my mom came over to get me...

You’d make me go home

You never were one to let me completely hide from my issues. If my mom came over, I had to go. I hated it at the time, but now that I’m older, it really was for the best.

You never would buy me alcohol

You told me that when I turn 21, it’ll taste a whole lot better (you were wrong, but that’s okay). I would plead for just one beer at your house, and you’d never let me have it. I rolled my eyes so many times, but now I understand you were just trying to look out for me. One of my favorite memories of turning 21 was finally getting to drink with you. I wish we could’ve done it more.

Thank you for giving me someone to miss

Until you passed, I never knew it was possible to miss someone so damn much. Every good thing, I wish I could tell you. Every bad thing too, because you knew what to say. You were the big brother I never had and I wish I could’ve had more than 8 years with you, but I’ll take that over nothing. I hope you look down and are proud. I hope you know how much I miss you, and how loved you are. Life is so short, but you made such a good one.

I love you and miss you more than you know.