There are some days in your life that you'll never forget. These days are filled with moments that can either fill your heart with happiness or shake you to the core. June 21, 2014, is one of my days that I'll never forget. I remember being woken up to the sound of my dad yelling for my mom to call 911. Confused and frightened, I stumbled out of bed at my grandma's house and looked around. Then it hit me, something was wrong with my Uncle Jim.
Everyone that knows my Uncle Jim knows that he is an unforgettable man. He has a heart of gold, crazy stories and jokes that will make you laugh until you cry. He's always been one of my favorite people. He's been there to give me advice, listen to my stories, and be one of my biggest supporters. When I was competitively running, he was always my biggest fan, even though he never saw me race. He would always tell me I sped down the street and he gave me the nickname Legs McGurk. He would always "interview" me with a spoon every time I came to visit and would ask me how my running career was going.
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Just like everyone in the world, we all have our flaws. My Uncle Jim's flaws were that he loved to smoke and he really loved to drink. It wasn't an occasional drink every now and then or a beer, it was a constant thing. Unfortunately, alcoholism is a disease that runs in my family. It has affected many of my family members, but especially my Uncle Jim. They say you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped, and that statement couldn't be more true. Uncle Jim loved his PBR and no matter how hard you begged and pleaded, he just couldn't give it up.
Now taking you back to June 21, 2014, my life changed forever. I've felt my heart break a few times, and this day was one of them. My Uncle Jim unexpectedly passed away. When this tragedy occurred, I was shaken to the core. I was unbelievably sad and I was also mad. You're probably wondering "how on earth can someone be mad about this?" I was mad because this all could have been avoided. I was mad because no matter how many problems occurred in my Uncle's life, he just couldn't give it up. I was mad because he didn't realize how much he was hurting his family. But mostly, I was mad because he didn't realize how much he was hurting himself. Uncle Jim was a selfless man. He always put others before himself, except when it came to drinking. Everyone has their demons, everyone has things they will never fully overcome, alcohol was his.
If only we could have given him more help, if only we had more time, if only... if only... if only. I'll probably think of all of the "if only's" forever. Time has a funny way of healing you. You move on, but you'll never forget that feeling. I'll never forget that day or any of those moments, and I'll never forget the man who made my life a little bit brighter.
So, Uncle Jim thank you for all of the laughs, the jokes, conversations but most of all thank you for the wonderful memories. Until we meet again you no good double clutching pot licking scallywag.
