Funeral

I attended Michael "Sumo" Sams funeral yesterday.

I set my alarm for 6 a.m. and had hoped to be on the road by 7 a.m. I didn't realize my cell phone alarm doesn't have snooze or if it does have snooze, I don't know how to use it yet. Shortly after I started getting ready, K walked into the bathroom and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was getting ready to go see a friend for the very last time. He asked me not to go in a very pathetically sad voice. Much to his dismay, I needed to do. After I got ready, we ate breakfast together and then I left.

The drive was easy. I spent the entire 4.5 hours thinking about what a great friend I had. There were so many memories that raced through my mind. Memories from high school, memories from talking on the phone, and memories from my recent visit to see him in the hospital. Of all the memories I had, there wasn't a single negative one. They were all uplifting and pleasant. Sumo had a way of making every person he talked to feel like they were his best friend and the most important person in the world. He had a heart of gold and was one of the most real people I have ever known. He truly impacted and made an impression on every single person that he met and knew.

The funeral was standing room only and there were a lot of people that weren't able to make it for different reasons. I saw so many friends that I haven't seen or talked to in 5-12 years. There were a lot of people I had never seen or met before. It truly was amazing to see and feel the love that surrounded his life in the church yesterday. When the pastor asked if any of his friends wanted to say something, my heart started racing. There was so much to say, that I don't know if there would have been enough time. My heart ached to say something, yet I didn't act on it. Instead I let time pass and waited. I didn't believe that I would have the strength that I prayed for to stand up in front of everyone and be able to finish my thoughts. I had prayed for the strength, but didn't believe I had it, so time passed and the pastor came back up and finished talking. I'm certain that if everyone that wanted to say something actually would have, we would have been there for 3 days.
Sumo was a wonderful friend, an amazing dad, a great brother, and a loving fiance'. He was loved by everyone and didn't have any enemies. In his last days he came to know Christ and formed a personal relationshi pwith Him. He was no longer lost, but had found his way.