My uncle Dan passed away today. He had surgery recently to treat colon cancer and his body, ravaged through the years by a traumatic brain injury he suffered, never recovered. He was 64.
Dan was a good uncle to me growing up. Somewhere, there's a 35mm slide of me in a purple Viking snowmobile suit with Dan patiently teaching me how to skate at Wapacuta Park in Faribault. Going to Faribault to see "the uncles" was always fun as a kid.
As I grew older, Dan would come to watch me play basketball in Faribault and Owatonna. I remember him being at the State Basketball tournament to cheer me on... Goodness that was 30 years ago! At many a family occasion (as pictured above) he would dance with his nieces and nephews, of which I am the oldest. While his life never led him in the direction to have his own kids, he was always up for a game of catch, or swimming, or whatever the nieces and nephews wanted. For this tomboy, that was perfect.
So, my mom is the oldest of the nine kids in her family (she has 8 younger brothers!), but not the first to leave this earth. That's not the way the world is suppose to work, but we know all too well, things don't always go as planned.
I'm holding a good thought tonight for those who lost their brother: Gwen, Scott, James, Jeff, J.J. Brian, Barry, B.I. ... love to you all.
Rest in peace, Uncle Dan.
