Dear Evan,

It's been some short time since your passing, and absolutely no one has taken it lightly. This just goes to show how loved you were by everyone around you, especially your friends and family. Everybody misses you -- your mom especially. I know you don't want her to be sad anymore and that you want her to know you're okay, so help me bring her comfort by letting her know that you're not suffering anymore.

Boy, that cancer sure did put up one heck of a fight, huh? But you beat it! You beat leukemia after six and a half years, and wow, is everybody so proud of you. But you unfortunately couldn't entirely fight off the aftermath. Your body shut down slowly with each infection you got and everyone around you watched you whither away. Though our eyes have laid upon you in your weakest physical state, that doesn't mean that's how we'll remember you. We will not remember the machines you were hooked up to or the tubes that covered most of your body. We will not remember you because of your cancer. We will remember you for the inspirational man you were...or maybe the goofball.

Do you remember when your cousin Sunshine was pregnant with her oldest and you bet her she couldn't wait until April 16th to have her baby? That was pretty funny considering she was in labor for twenty-three hours, wasn't it? She did it so her oldest daughter would share a birthday with you. She was your favorite female cousin, but of course she thought that, right?

Or do you remember all those times you would go mattress surfing, and you did it off the roof while praying to God you didn't break any of your bones? Or the time where you ran for your lives from those South kids with your best friends, Trey and Jordan? You were so full of positivity and you made the best out of every situation you were in no matter how bad things were going for you. Your smile was contagious and you made everyone around you laugh until they cried, Sunshine especially. Happiness radiated off of you and warmed the hearts of everybody around you. You were everyone's comfort, everyone's safe place. Everyone knew to go to you when they needed a friend because you're one of the best friends we could've ever asked for.

We all miss you, Evan. Your little brother Blake misses you helping him with football, I'm sure of it. Your brothers and sisters miss you wrestling with them. Your dad misses having someone to talk about cars with. Your mom misses her little boy. Kaleb misses his daddy. Jordan, Trey, Sunshine and just about everybody else on the face of the planet misses having you as a brother, friend, uncle, cousin, acquaintance, coworker, boyfriend, secret boyfriend, whatever you could possibly think of. You're an inspiration to everyone around you because you put up such a strong fight. You may not have made it into the army like you planned, but that doesn't mean you aren't a soldier. You fought harder than anyone I've ever known and you put up a decent fight.

I promise no one will ever forget you. In fact, we'll probably watch a Steelers game every now and then in your honor. Your legacy will live on in our memories and in our hearts. You will live on in your son, and he will be a great man like you when he's all grown up. You've touched the lives of thousands, and for this we will always remember you, Evan James Taylor.

Rest easy, Skippy.