Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A Time to Reflect

Having had the chance now to look back at the November 14th service, I can say that it will certainly remain one of the most memorable and touching experiences of my life. Sharing it with over 1700 people, and then going home to see it reported as the top item in newscasts from across Ontario – it’s almost surreal, and hard to imagine ever being a part of another experience like it.

As the year draws to a close, we also get a chance to look back at the hectic weeks that followed October 13th. The efforts of the Barrie Police Service in searching and trying to find Brandon must certainly be commended – a lot of officers tried very hard, both in organized searches and in following up tips and leads. Since Brandon’s body was found on November 5th there hasn’t been any new information released, even though police did indicate they would still be looking in to a number of questions. I have to admit that, unlike the Barrie Police, I’m not completely at ease with the information released by the OPP (who took responsibility after Brandon was found outside of Barrie jurisdiction). And while in an earlier post on this blog I did suggest that any new information was worth knowing, I now have to also recognize that Brandon has been laid to rest, and similarly it may be time to lay to rest any lingering questions about the exact circumstances of his passing.

It is through his memory that Brandon Crisp lives on, the memories of his life and how he touched the lives of so many others.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Pausing a Moment to Remember

The holiday season is a time for family, friends, and especially kids, and certainly this will always be one of the most difficult times of the year to reflect on Brandon's story. Even though much of my days are filled with the usual bustle of this time of year, I find that my thoughts still touch on Brandon at some point every day.

With more than a month since the service in Barrie, many of Brandon’s friends have changed their Facebook profile pics back to their usual photos and away from the pics of Brandon put up in remembrance, but even now a few remain. And the public Facebook “In Memory of Brandon Crisp” group still gets postings, such as this recent one by Jordan, a student from a different high school than Brandon:

“I didn't know you and still don't but that doesn't change the fact that you touched my life. I think about Brandon and his family every day now at least once, but usually more.” ... “Brandon may be gone from us, but he will never be forgotten!”


That sums it up right there. As we celebrate Christmas and the Holidays, I'm proud to join so many others that keep Brandon, his family and his friends in their thoughts.