Throughout our lives, people will come and go but it is those who make an impact that we remember forever. David was one of those people. I have known David for only a short period of time but he is one of those people whom I will never forget. I met David through his mother, Barbara. My son goes to high school with Matt and Barbara Joyce. Barbara is a very special person and a wonderful friend. I love to listen to her talk about “her babies”. It was at a football game one day when Barbara was talking about “my David” coming home that I realized how truly special he was. David was their hero and everyone looked up to him. Whenever it was possible, David was at Matt’s games. He would give his little brother some advice before the game and then come to cheer for him in the stands with the rest of the families. If he was able to stay for the whole game, he was always waiting at the fence to give Matt a hug, a nudge or a smack on the helmet. It all depended upon how well David thought Matt played that day. It was obvious that he loved his family very much. From the very first time I was introduced to him, I was always greeted warmly with a hug, a kiss and a kind word, just like I was part of the family. You always knew that when David asked how you were, he wasn’t making small talk, he genuinely cared. He also liked to sneak up on you when you weren’t paying attention and after he scared the daylights out of you, he always gave you a big bear hug. Over the summer, my son was away on a trip and Barbara knew that I was pretty bummed out. She invited me over for dinner. It was a beautiful summer night. We decided to eat outside on the deck. Dinner was on the table. She jumped up and said, “I’ll be right back”. She came back with candles and a small replica of the Eiffel Tower. She lit the candle and then said “now I can tell my David we had dinner in Paris”. For the rest of the night, she shared with me all the things that David had picked up for her on his travels and we looked at photos of the kids over the years. One of my last conversations with David was before he went to India. I asked him how the job was going and he told me that he loved his work. The twinkle in his eye was proof. Because of the nature of his job, he couldn’t always say much. I loved to tease him that his skills were going to get rusty if all he ever had was ill-mannered passengers to deal with. He replied enthusiastically that he was really hoping to “kick some butt” on his next trip. We shared a laugh. I reminded him that his family, particularly his Mom, worried about him when he traveled and that I was sure she was much happier with the disgruntled passengers over those requiring “the muscle”. David, I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to get to know you. I will always remember you for your beautiful smile, your zest for life, your kindness and compassion for others but more than anything your love for your family. I will miss you dearly.