Hi Brad, 

I was thinking about you a lot for some reason.  Maybe it's the recent Dia de los Muertos, or your upcoming birthday.  But whyever the reason - "Hi."

Wish you were in in person, but I know you're with me in other ways. 

Luv ya, 

Marianne

Happy Birthday Brad

I wish I could say it to you, living your life, with it being a real wish to you. I was awake at 2:28 a.m. remembering, missing you, as I do, we all do, every second. 

I found a vegan stuffed turkey roll-you would have been happy. 

That Thanksgiving/birthday dinner at South City diner with you and Emily still makes me smile and grin when I think of embarrassing you-no easy task!

Well Congratulations Brad! You are a Great Uncle! Your great niece Gracie Lucinda Schulz was born on August 28th at 10:43 pm. She weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 19 1/2 " long. Amy was amazing through the whole thing and Jeremy was absolutely wonderful. I got to be there to watch them fall head over heels in love with her and it was the best day ever. 

I am pretty sure you already know all of this but I was excited to tell you. 

Love your sister, now a Grandma! I can hear you laughing already. 

Don't you miss his chuckle? Heh Heh Heh

What can I even say? 7 years? Ouch. There is so much going on that you are missing. I miss you and I miss being able to tell you everything.

Happy Birthday Brad. Of course that's surely ridiculous, to wish you a Happy Birthday, but how can I not? I still wish that for you. I still wish you were here in your solid human form.
Grieving stages be damned. There's still a part of me that believes its not true. That you will be here with a "Hey it's me" sometime. It's OK with me if I never really pass that. In the meantime, out into the universe - Happy Birthday Brad.
I Love You and I Like You
Mom

Hey Brother.
Tomorrow is your birthday and it still breaks my heart that you are not here so I can call you old and give you a hard time.
The Manna family lost someone very special, his name is Jason. He is a Dad, a son, a brother, an Uncle, a dear friend, a cousin, and more.
He was loved by so many people and now so many people are broken. Maybe you and him will meet and you will see why he touched everyone he met.

 Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"

Hard week. Hard times. 

Hard week, wish I could change it.