11 YEARS AGO ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19TH MY 10 YEAR OLD NEPHEW DIED OF ASTHMA IN MY ARMS. ON DECEMBER 23RD WE BURIED HIM. HE WAS LIKE A SON TO ME, LIKE A BROTHER TO MY SON. MY SON TELLS EVERYONE TO THIS DAY THAT HE IS HIS BROTHER. HE WAS ALSO MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THE DAY HE DIED A PART OF ME DIED WITH HIM. A BIG PART OF ME. BUT FOR ALL THESE YEARS, I FELT THAT I NEEDED TO BE STRONG FOR MY SISTER AND MY SON, SO I NEVER LET IT HIT ME THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE HIT ME. I REMAINED STRONG. THIS YEAR IM NOT SO LUCKY. EVERY DAY CLOSER TO THE 19TH IS A PAIN THAT I HAVE NEVER FELT BEFORE. THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE HARD. KENNY WOULD HAVE BEEN 21 APRIL 29TH OF THIS YEAR. HIM AND I, YES AT 10 YEARS OLD, MADE PLANS THAT ON MY BIRTHDAY, DECEMBER 31ST, THE YEAR THAT HE TURNED 21, HIM AND I WOULD GOTO THE BAR AND RING IN THE NEW YEAR. INSTEAD I WILL BE GOING TO MY BROTHERS HOUSE WITH MY SISTER. IVE NEVER KNOWN HOW TO DEAL WITH DEATH. I AM GOING TO NEED FRIENDS. LOTS OF THEM. I HOPE YOUR HOLIDAY IS BLESSED WITH HAPPY CHEER. LOVE TO ALL.