Skip to main content

Our Cousin Drew

 This last week, my brother and his wife lost a very precious son, just 13 years old. He collapsed while running with a cross-country team and passed away before he could be revived. Everyone that knew Drew is broken-hearted at this loss. He was the happiest, most agreeable kid we knew. I remember him being at my house without anyone close to his age to hang out with, so he found our Duplo blocks and started building even though it is a toy that boys his age don't usually enjoy. He was so content. He didn't complain that I ever remember. His mother always called him the perfect child. He will leave a big hole in not only his immediate family but our extended family as well. 

Here is a poem my aunt shared that seems fitting:

Leave Taking

How I would have liked
to wave goodbye 
and watch until you turned and smiled
and disappeared on the horizon.
You who taught me to dance 
and let me teach you, 
who laughed at my stories 
and winked at me when I was sad.
I can  just see you travelling arm and arm 
with Columbus
See how you have crossed once more
the many waters.
I have a new reason 
to stand in the desert night
with face upturned 
while I look for a star 
that never winked back before.
If you should look back and see me here
leave a light on in Heaven
for one who stayed behind.  

--Margary Boyack Broadbent

I'm sure Drew's parents have many more good pictures of him but this is what I found:









Drew playing the patient Joseph with Camille as Mary and Mindy as donkey:



You can't see him that well, but here he is watching a rousing game of "Father (or King) May I."


At a short family reunion in 2015 at Heber Camp with his cousins:





His baptism:






4th of July bike ride, 2022:


With Grandma Ellen:








Family reunion, 2020:

Here are the cousins his age all together. Drew was born first. Family reunion 2020:

Family reunion, 2020:

Drew grew his hair out to potentially be part of the Book of Mormon movies, 2022:


2022:

Right before Thys left on his mission, 2022:

Family reunion, 2022:

This was a beautiful fall day when we gathered to rake leaves for Grandpa and Grandma.

Family reunion 2020:


Hiking the Y, Memorial Day in 2020:


Provo Cemetery, 2020:

Home church, 2020:

Grandma's house:


At Buffalo Peak trailhead:


Hope Campground:

Thanksgiving:


Fourth of July, 2022:




Talent show, family reunion, 2022:


Undokai, 2022:


Phoenix, AZ temple, 2022:


Arizona, 2022:


New Year's Eve, 2022:


Memorial Day, 2023 (Drew is in the red shirt on the far right):


Memorial Day, 2018 (in front of his mom):


Hoover Dam, December 2018, pushing his much older cousin in the stroller:


You'll be forever in our hearts, Drew. 💗💗💗💗


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Drew

 This weekend we celebrated Drew's life. On Thursday night, we gathered as an extended family and had a dinner then sat in a big circle and talked about our memories of him. I took some notes and here is what people said. Grandpa (Gary Hansen):  The last time we saw Drew was last week on the 4th. I remember all the cousins on the trampoline, bouncing up and down and playing basketball. Grandma (Susan Hansen):  I asked Drew to come over last winter to teach my Activity Day boys how to make origami stars. He was very patient in working with them even though they were pretty clueless. Eventually they all went home happily with their stars. Paula: This last winter we invited Bruce and Michelle over for dinner and we didn't have anyone his age for him to hang out with. I remember that Drew found the Duplo blocks on his own and played with them all by himself, quite cheerfully entertaining himself. I asked him if he wanted to play with a different toy--maybe something more sophistica
Post a Comment
Read more

Drew's Funeral

Yesterday was the viewing for Drew and then today was the funeral. There were a LOT of people at the viewing. Bruce and Michelle greeted people for almost four hours yesterday and then again this morning before the funeral. Bruce said that if weren't for Drew's death, it would be the best week of his life with so much love being shown to them. Friday actually began with a family run in Drew's honor. We started at a church by the new Lindon temple and ran to Bruce and Michelle's house with breakfast following. Friday night was the viewing. There was a very nice display of all things Drew. This was one of the pictures displayed and I recognized someone I know: We stood in line and the paramedics who worked on Drew stood in line behind us so we got to talk to them. Here's a fun fact:  They cover both Orem and Vineyard but Vineyard gets a lot more 911 calls than Orem per capita. It's a younger population and they are quicker to call. They said it's hard when the
Post a Comment
Read more