In Memory of Don & James
Posted 07-21-2007 at 10:08 PM by marsha1963
When my husband and I started our videogame forum, the last thing in the world I thought we'd have to deal with would be the death of a member. Unfortunately within the first 3 years we lost 2 members. Two members who loved our forum, worked hard as moderators to help us keep the forum going, defended the site whenever someone had something mean to say. Two members who had not yet left their teens. Today is the anniversary of James' death, which has our two forum angels on my mind even more than most days. But, there is never a single day that goes by when the two of them don't cross my mind at some point. Here are the stories of our forum angels...
Donald Anthony Brow III
March 19, 1984 ~ May 18, 2003Words can't even begin to describe the person that was Don Brow. The first time I ever knew of him, was at a gaming forum prior to my husband and I starting our site. Don made a long detailed post about everything he'd been through. He was about halfway through a long painful struggle with cancer at that point. He grew progressively worse as time passed. He'd already lost his ability to speak, and for awhile he had to have a feeding tube because of the cancer in his throat. Yet he was brave beyond his years, and he was always very upbeat and had a great sense of humor. Eventually the feeding tube came out, and he was able to eat again... he was thrilled. I remember him talking about sugar pizza. Something he invented just because he could I suppose. I think that post is still floating around the site archives somewhere. Funny stuff. Don was faithfully on our site every single day. Then there came a time when days would pass and we didn't see him. Our site had 3 admin, and every one of us was afraid to make the phone call. Finally, our friend did it... just before Don lost the fight. It was a couple of days later we found out he was gone. It broke the heart of the entire forum. And we created our first memorial page for Don.
I guess, knowing how sick Don was, we always knew in our hearts we'd lose him one day. We weren't prepared, but we knew it would happen. When James died, it hit us like a train because we never saw it coming. One of his last forum posts was a happy anniversary wish to my husband and me. The next day he was riding his bike home from football practice and got hit by a car. He died the following morning. Two days before his 15th birthday. Here's a little more about James:
James Edwin Francis Delaney
July 23, 1990 ~ July 21, 2005
Donald Anthony Brow III
March 19, 1984 ~ May 18, 2003
I guess, knowing how sick Don was, we always knew in our hearts we'd lose him one day. We weren't prepared, but we knew it would happen. When James died, it hit us like a train because we never saw it coming. One of his last forum posts was a happy anniversary wish to my husband and me. The next day he was riding his bike home from football practice and got hit by a car. He died the following morning. Two days before his 15th birthday. Here's a little more about James:
James Edwin Francis Delaney
July 23, 1990 ~ July 21, 2005
James was a great kid. Thoughtful, kind, eager to help. Ask anyone from our gaming site and they'll tell you he was the best moderator we ever had. He took the responsibility seriously and, at 13 he could work circles around the adults on the forum. He'd PM me once in awhile just to ask if I was okay. He knew I had medical problems so he felt the need to check up on me. And he really looked up to my husband. He always shared ideas and suggestions that he thought might help the site. If there ever was a "perfect member" on any forum, James definitely was it. I remember the day his sister posted that he'd been in an accident. I was scared, but I told myself he'd be okay. Then a friend of the family posted that James didn't make it. I asked my husband "it's a mistake right? James is okay?". He shook his head. I think we both cried. Once again the heart of the forum was broken. We created our second memorial page for James.
The memorial pages go a little more in depth in describing these two amazing kids that left this world way too soon. I still tear up a little when I think of them or write about them. A few times a year their families stop by the site to say "hi". They usually read the memorial pages again, read some posts that Don and James made (they're all archived), and sign the guestbook again. We usually sign the guestbook again on holidays. James' mom was at the site today. The 2 year anniversary of James' death. I think I'll wait til Monday to sign the guestbook again, I'd rather remember his birthday. We've promised the families that these two angels would never be forgotten. Recently, my husband and I decided it was time for us to move on, and we sold the videogame site. We sold it to someone we've known for a couple of years, and our one stipulation in the sale was that the memorials would continue. He had no problem agreeing to that. Their memory lives on.
The memorial pages go a little more in depth in describing these two amazing kids that left this world way too soon. I still tear up a little when I think of them or write about them. A few times a year their families stop by the site to say "hi". They usually read the memorial pages again, read some posts that Don and James made (they're all archived), and sign the guestbook again. We usually sign the guestbook again on holidays. James' mom was at the site today. The 2 year anniversary of James' death. I think I'll wait til Monday to sign the guestbook again, I'd rather remember his birthday. We've promised the families that these two angels would never be forgotten. Recently, my husband and I decided it was time for us to move on, and we sold the videogame site. We sold it to someone we've known for a couple of years, and our one stipulation in the sale was that the memorials would continue. He had no problem agreeing to that. Their memory lives on.
Total Comments 0
Comments
Recent Blog Entries by marsha1963
- Not ready to let go (11-15-2007)
- A time to be scared (08-07-2007)
- I get to see my family!!! :) (08-01-2007)
- In Memory of Don & James (07-21-2007)
- A letter to my husband for our 10th anniversary (07-17-2007)
