I dedicate this post to a dear friend that recently passed away. I want to share some of my memories that I will always cherish of Daniel. I was going to try to post the pictures randomly through out this blog, but I'm still new at trying to know how to do it, and it always posted them at the top, so sorry for the bombarding of pics right off, they are pics with dates ranging from 2003 until the last one that has Daniel, David and I. That was our last day in Hawaii before moving back to Utah. It was the last time I got to see Daniel. I never realized how precious each of these pictuers would mean to me. Also sorry its one big huge paragraph, I can't figure how to space it either. The poem at the end is not spaced how I typed it in either.
When I first moved to Hawaii in 2002, my neighbor at the time introduced my roommates and I to his group of friends. They called themselves fambam. They have that name for a reason, they are an amazing group of friends that treat and love each other like family. We started having weekly bonfires with them at the beach. At one of those bonfires is where I first met Daniel. Except I didn't meet him as Daniel. For the longest time we thought his name was Paul. "Ya real funny huh. A bunch of palagi girls from the mainland, totally believing anything we were told." We did find out however the truth, and that "Paul" also went by "Maps" which was legit.
In August of 2003 Daniel was hit buy 2 cars. He survived, but this is where the true journey of our friendship was developed. I have posted the video that was made for a benefit concert on the 1 year mark of the accident. His lovely and talented Mom wrote this. I am inspired each time I watch the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxEJblgtcQc
Through out my years of working in treatment centers with troubled youth, I showed this video numerous times, in hopes the kids would realize the importance of how fragile life can be. I know that the video touched more then one of the students for the better.
After the accident I would try to go visit Daniel as often as possible. Even though he was bed ridden and was not able to talk, he definietly still had his personality. One time shortly after the accident, I was at the hospital visiting with his Dad. We were watching a college football game and talking story, every time we would turn to talk with Daniel, he would hurry and close his eyes and fake asleep. Now that I'm writing this and having a husband that is very good at tuning out the rest of the world when any sort of sports is on, maybe Daniel was trying to say, "hey let me be to watch the game in peace." Uncle Simi and I joked of how Daniel was such a ham.
When I moved back to Utah in December of 2004, I was yuck sick (hence the red shiny nose in one of the pics above.) Anway, that year for New Years I was going to New York to see the ball drop. Afterward all the excitement I called the Mapu family to wish Daniel a Happy New Year. Daniel served a spanish speaking mission and hola was one of the words that he was still able to get out every now and then. Before I left Hawaii they had been trying to get him to say it to me, but he wasn't ever able to. Well that night on the phone he did. I was so proud and excited. The highlight of that night wasn't seeing the ball drop, but in hearing this guy who was trying with all his might to make progress muster up those words.
Another of my favorite memories is when they had brought Daniel to Utah to try to get some help. I went to visit and they had just got done with a Doctors visit and his Mom was saying Daniel was mad at her because of it. I asked him jokingly, "Daniel, are you mad at your Mom." He quickly raised his eye brows up and down in way to answer yes. He still had such a great way of communicating with his family.
My purpose in this is to not try to make me look like a superstar in my visits with Daniel. Our friendship through out the years meant a lot to me, and this is a way for me to cope with his passing, I've always been able to express how I feel through words, (even if spelling is not always on.) Its a way for me to be able to hold onto the memories I have of him. He changed my life in more ways then I can say. I have battled depression for many years, and while I was in Hawaii, each and every time I left from having a visit with Daniel, it gave me a high on life. It made me want to do everything in my power to get rid of self destructive thoughts, here he was fighting for his life, and so many times I contimplated giving up mine. Daniel in a sense gave me a will to live. He made me realize to not take for granted the smallest things, to walking, talking and all the little things we are able to do each day, but take them for granted not even thinking that at any given time, those things can be taken from us. Through the love I saw his family give him on a twenty four hour basis, I have never seen such a love within another family. The strength his family has carried through out this journey is inspiring. The bond they have with one another is amazing. I admire them and have a special place for them, even if I may not know them on a personal basis all that well.
In closing, I wrote a poem dedicated to Daniel. I hope it can bring peace and comfort to myself, and anyone else who may read it that may need that glimmer of hope, that with Daniels time on earth he touched and inspired so many people.
Aloha oe to you my dear friend,
May the Heavens embrace you until we meet again.
You displayed so much strength through out the years,
you were an example to many in overcoming our fears.
In that, whatever trials and tribulations may come our way,
if we rely on the Gospel, we can make it through each day.
Your will to live so long, is so evident,
that each life you have touched, you were Heaven sent.
You'll never know the many people you inspire,
to life life to the fullest, and appreciate the blessings we acquire.
You'll forever be in the hearts of your friends and family,
The memories will be cherished and share to the eternities.
I know upon passing, you heard these words from our loving Heavenly Father,
Daniel, you have fought a good fight, and Returned with Honor.
With much love and respect, you will be missed.
Terra Fepuleai
I dedicate this post to a dear friend that recently passed away. I want to share some of my memories that I will always cherish of Daniel. I was going to try to post the pictures randomly through out this blog, but I'm still new at trying to know how to do it, and it always posted them at the top, so sorry for the bombarding of pics right off, they are pics with dates ranging from 2003 until the last one that has Daniel, David and I. That was our last day in Hawaii before moving back to Utah. It was the last time I got to see Daniel. I never realized how precious each of these pictuers would mean to me. Also sorry its one big huge paragraph, I can't figure how to space it either. The poem at the end is not spaced how I typed it in either.
When I first moved to Hawaii in 2002, my neighbor at the time introduced my roommates and I to his group of friends. They called themselves fambam. They have that name for a reason, they are an amazing group of friends that treat and love each other like family. We started having weekly bonfires with them at the beach. At one of those bonfires is where I first met Daniel. Except I didn't meet him as Daniel. For the longest time we thought his name was Paul. "Ya real funny huh. A bunch of palagi girls from the mainland, totally believing anything we were told." We did find out however the truth, and that "Paul" also went by "Maps" which was legit.
In August of 2003 Daniel was hit buy 2 cars. He survived, but this is where the true journey of our friendship was developed. I have posted the video that was made for a benefit concert on the 1 year mark of the accident. His lovely and talented Mom wrote this. I am inspired each time I watch the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxEJblgtcQc
Through out my years of working in treatment centers with troubled youth, I showed this video numerous times, in hopes the kids would realize the importance of how fragile life can be. I know that the video touched more then one of the students for the better.
After the accident I would try to go visit Daniel as often as possible. Even though he was bed ridden and was not able to talk, he definietly still had his personality. One time shortly after the accident, I was at the hospital visiting with his Dad. We were watching a college football game and talking story, every time we would turn to talk with Daniel, he would hurry and close his eyes and fake asleep. Now that I'm writing this and having a husband that is very good at tuning out the rest of the world when any sort of sports is on, maybe Daniel was trying to say, "hey let me be to watch the game in peace." Uncle Simi and I joked of how Daniel was such a ham.
When I moved back to Utah in December of 2004, I was yuck sick (hence the red shiny nose in one of the pics above.) Anway, that year for New Years I was going to New York to see the ball drop. Afterward all the excitement I called the Mapu family to wish Daniel a Happy New Year. Daniel served a spanish speaking mission and hola was one of the words that he was still able to get out every now and then. Before I left Hawaii they had been trying to get him to say it to me, but he wasn't ever able to. Well that night on the phone he did. I was so proud and excited. The highlight of that night wasn't seeing the ball drop, but in hearing this guy who was trying with all his might to make progress muster up those words.
Another of my favorite memories is when they had brought Daniel to Utah to try to get some help. I went to visit and they had just got done with a Doctors visit and his Mom was saying Daniel was mad at her because of it. I asked him jokingly, "Daniel, are you mad at your Mom." He quickly raised his eye brows up and down in way to answer yes. He still had such a great way of communicating with his family.
My purpose in this is to not try to make me look like a superstar in my visits with Daniel. Our friendship through out the years meant a lot to me, and this is a way for me to cope with his passing, I've always been able to express how I feel through words, (even if spelling is not always on.) Its a way for me to be able to hold onto the memories I have of him. He changed my life in more ways then I can say. I have battled depression for many years, and while I was in Hawaii, each and every time I left from having a visit with Daniel, it gave me a high on life. It made me want to do everything in my power to get rid of self destructive thoughts, here he was fighting for his life, and so many times I contimplated giving up mine. Daniel in a sense gave me a will to live. He made me realize to not take for granted the smallest things, to walking, talking and all the little things we are able to do each day, but take them for granted not even thinking that at any given time, those things can be taken from us. Through the love I saw his family give him on a twenty four hour basis, I have never seen such a love within another family. The strength his family has carried through out this journey is inspiring. The bond they have with one another is amazing. I admire them and have a special place for them, even if I may not know them on a personal basis all that well.
In closing, I wrote a poem dedicated to Daniel. I hope it can bring peace and comfort to myself, and anyone else who may read it that may need that glimmer of hope, that with Daniels time on earth he touched and inspired so many people.
Aloha oe to you my dear friend,
May the Heavens embrace you until we meet again.
You displayed so much strength through out the years,
you were an example to many in overcoming our fears.
In that, whatever trials and tribulations may come our way,
if we rely on the Gospel, we can make it through each day.
Your will to live so long, is so evident,
that each life you have touched, you were Heaven sent.
You'll never know the many people you inspire,
to life life to the fullest, and appreciate the blessings we acquire.
You'll forever be in the hearts of your friends and family,
The memories will be cherished and share to the eternities.
I know upon passing, you heard these words from our loving Heavenly Father,
Daniel, you have fought a good fight, and Returned with Honor.
With much love and respect, you will be missed.
Terra Fepuleai
Here is the poem spaced right.
ReplyDeleteAloha oe to you my dear friend,
May the Heavens embrace you until we meet again.
You displayed so much strength through out the years,
you were an example to many in overcoming our fears.
In that, whatever trials and tribulations may come our way,
if we rely on the Gospel, we can make it through each day.
Your will to live so long, is so evident,
that each life you have touched, you were Heaven sent.
You'll never know the many people you inspire,
to life life to the fullest, and appreciate the blessings we acquire.
You'll forever be in the hearts of your friends and family,
The memories will be cherished and share to the eternities.
I know upon passin, you heard these words from our loving Heavenly Father,
Daniel, you have fought a good fight, and Returned with Honor.
With much love and respect, you will be missed.
Terra Fepuleai