Heaven's Best Has Arrived

 October 22, 2020 the day of devastation for our family.   The day Heaven gained the sweetest angel I ever did know.  Troy.  Our precious sweet Troy Boy went to be with Mom.  My brother-in-law was born with down's syndrome and then later in his toddler age was diagnosed with autism.   The love we have for him is like no other.  The world was so much brighter with Troy in it.  Troy was given to us here on earth to teach us.  We learned so much from him.  I will forever be grateful to Troy for teaching our kids about life.  

Here's the thing, most people do not know how to act or treat others that are "different" from them.  A lot of people just stare.  Or, they say rude things about those with disabilities.  You know what?  God made each and every single one of us to be different.  The world would be a boring place if we were all the same, what kind of world would that be to live in?  

Those special humans are given to us to teach us empathy, compassion, and joy in the simplest of things.  They are here to ground us.  To appreciate that the sky is blue, the grass is green, and birds are chirping.  

This is one of my favorite photos our brother, Troy.

One thing we will miss the most is his smile and contagious laugh.  I loved visiting him and seeing his smile and hearing him laugh.  I'll never forget the first time he came over to me and hugged me.  It was the most precious moment ever.  I cried.  

His eyes would LIGHT up the minute Tim would walk into the room.  He loved his brother and his brother loved him.  Now, I won't pretend to know and understand the childhood they shared but I tell you what, there is nothing comparable to the bond of your brother (or siblings) and Tim and Troy had a very special, irreplaceable bond.  Troy may have been mentally handicapped but he was still a very proud uncle.  He would just smile and show the kids his music or what new thing he had in his room when we'd go visit him.  He lit up when he saw his nieces and nephews.

Everyone needs to know and love a Troy in their life.  The world would be a much better place if we all had a person like Troy touch our hearts like the way he has touched mine.  

Troy had recently moved and was the ruler of the roost at his new home.  It was perfect for him there.  Honestly, we were so nervous about him moving and expected a major a change in his behavior because people who have autism do NOT like change.  Typically with those that have autism structure and routines are what keeps their world straight.  Not Troy.  He was thriving at the new home.  We had never seen him so happy.  He had his two best buds there with him and it was a total bachelor's pad.  

If you knew anything about Troy you knew that music was his first real love.  It always would crack me up that he'd turn his music up so loud, and then leave his room and the music would just blare through his home.  Forget quiet and relaxing, he was there to party!!  His face would light up with his contagious smile, he's through his arms up over his head and just laugh while grinning ear to ear. The staff at the home had a remote that they kept just outside his room and then would turn the volume down on his radio when he wasn't looking and he knew.  Oh did he know that volume was going down.  He'd turn around and just give the biggest stink eye and then head back into his room and crank that sucker up even louder.   

I'm gonna miss his smile, his jokester antics, his smile, and his laughter the most.