It makes me wonder about fairness. That such horrible things happen to such good people is perhaps the greatest tragedy. Brice and I were close at a time when we were both becoming the men we are today, and even though it’s been a while since we were best friends, I can’t help but feel a very deep sorrow. Part of me feels guilty about that, because I know so many other people were closer to him in the last years of his life. I hope not to be speaking out of turn here.
Smiles seem to always be the most easily remembered feature about people, and Brice sure did have a great one. Even though there may have been mischief behind his grin, Brice was always a person associated with goodness. In the time that I knew him, I can’t recall a single incident where someone had a bad thing to say. It’s an extraordinary thing to be so well thought of and loved. And yes, Brice was loved. Greg and Karen are possibly the most loyal and devoted parents I’ve ever come across. Their love for their son is unwavering and will continue to be so. His brother and sister were always very important to him. I know for a fact that when his nephew was born, Brice was extremely proud to be an uncle. His love for his family and their love for him should serve as an example to us all.
Most of my fondest memories of Brice are nearly a decade old, but they’ve remained vivid in my mind because of the impact he had on my life. Middle school would surely have been a more barren land if not for Brice’s ability to create laughter. He saw the lighter side of everything and I hope everyone who knew him was fortunate enough to have shared a laugh with him at some point. That truly is a gift I’ll keep for the rest of my life.
In the brief conversations we had over the last few years Brice always seemed happy and content with his life. I have a habit of letting negativity influence my feelings, but Brice seemed to always keep negativity at bay. He lived to live. He made others happy. He touched lives every chance he got, and without even trying to. There was never anyone beneath him. Never a person he couldn’t talk to. Brice is who I wish I was. He didn’t judge the world or keep it at arm’s length. The world was his.
It makes me wonder about fairness, that such horrible things happen to such good people. I can’t pick up the phone and call Brice and tell him we should hang out soon. I can’t go to the dentist and have his mom tell me about what’s going on in his life. All I can do now is honor the life of someone who always honored mine and everyone else’s. All I can do is hope to be the kind of person Brice was. Friendly, loving, open to the world and absent of judgment. He was a good man. I’m blessed to have known him. We all are.