Meet Oliver, Drew’s cousin, fellow Grandma Arle impersonator, and forever friend.
“Dear Drew,
Picking one of our many memories together is a nearly impossible task.
One of our more recent memories together was our family trip to Florida in February, 2023. It was around the time when your finger was hurt and your Dad was so concerned about letting it heal because he knew it needed to get better for the successful future you were bound to have.
You didn’t have any of your friends on the trip so you decided that you were going to hang out with me, Syd, and my friends Matt, Ryann, Hannah, and Ryan the entire time.
In order for you to go in the pool or ocean your Dad had to wrap your finger each and every time you went in the water and unwrap your finger every time you came out of the water. Well, you began to get really frustrated because my friends and I could not decide if we wanted to go in the water, stay out of the water, and sometimes we just spontaneously decided that we would go back in right after we got out. You wanted to come with us each time and although you were frustrated that you needed to keep rewrapping your finger, you were determined to keep having fun with us.
Later in the day we were going back to the room. There was a long line for the elevators and we both looked at each other and said “We’re not waiting on this line.” In my head, we were going to cut the line, but in your head we were going to take the 10 flights of stairs. We entered the staircase and of course you turned it into a competition. You said “Wanna race?” I thought you were kidding, but you began to sprint up the staircase. I started laughing knowing that I wasn’t about to run up 10 flights of stairs, but you pushed me. We kept running and running until we got to your floor. I could barely breathe but you were perfectly fine when I finally caught up to you. You stood there laughing and asked “what took you so long?”
Every time I walk up a flight of stairs, I picture you standing at the top waiting for me. I know you’re watching and I’m doing my best to make you proud.
Love,
Oliver”
