When I think about Eric I think back to his smile, always grinning from ear to ear. Never a dull moment, never a quiet moment, never a sad moment. Eric was an amazing person who touched the lives of everyone around him. We start each day every morning never knowing if this will be our last, and we are often told that we are never guaranteed tomorrow, however with Eric every moment was spent as if it were his last. He made such an impact on every person he met, that his memory will always touch our hearts with every day to come.
I remember my daughter Brayden who at the time was about 3 years old and gave him the nickname “Beno,” in the Goodyear shop. Eric and Robbie would often joke with Brayden about wanting to cut her hair because it was long, and it became an ongoing joke between Brayden and Eric at just age 3. Brayden loved “Beno,” very much and always waved to him whenever we would pass Goodyear. Making an impact on a 3 year old is jus t one of the most memorable aspects about Eric.
Losing Eric was probably the most difficult thing to accept, because you start to have the mentality of “why does God take such wonderful people,” but God is amazing, he is just and he is kind and heaven deserves to have the very best to bring us home. What better person to stand beside God than Eric, there are none. I cannot wait till I see his face, as I walk up to the gates of Heaven knowing that beside the most just man in the entire world will be Eric.
Amazing people leave this world every single day and we think this is it, the end, but it is not the end, only the beginning. Eric knew his place in this world, he knew his heart and he knew his future. I can rest peacefully knowing that Eric knew his destination. The Monte Carlo will pass and we will think of him, the sound of an air gun will remind us of him, and the laughter from a cute dark skinned boy with crazy hair will remind us of him. Each time we see a memory, hear a memory or think of a memory, just know that Eric is smiling while he touches your heart and will continue to do so all the days of our lives.
“Ride in the Sky,” was the symbol of love picked for Eric, because he did exactly what his heart told him to each and every time, his heart was led by God, never wavering his focus. Remembering the good times along with the sad guard the heart from realizing that even though we cannot see Eric, we can sense Eric in everything we do, from now until we reunite with him again.
We love you Eric now, tomorrow and all the days of lives, now continue your road and “ride in the sky.”
With love your friend and author,
Kylie B. Davis
