Ben

Grandpa Andrus and Ben 2010

I hardly know what to say. But I feel like I should say something and not pretend like nothing happened, and that everything is okay, because it's not.

On October 12, 2013, Eric's little brother Ben passed away.

It was unexpected and tragic, but we are dealing with it thanks to the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement (which heals all pain, not just sin).

We miss Ben so much. And it hits us at expected and unexpected times. Thanksgiving was hard, Christmas was hard, many times in between were hard, and I'm sure Ben's birthday in April will be especially hard.

I think the hardest part of all of this for me has been watching Eric struggle and miss his little brother. The little brother closest in age to him, that he shared a room with for most of his childhood and adolescence. A little brother that shared a love for similar hobbies and outdoor activities. A little brother that he loved to joke around with.

Or watching Eric's parents struggle. He is still their precious baby boy, their baby boy that they won't get to see for a very long time.

I can't imagine loosing someone and not knowing that we will see him again, it just makes death far too tragic. Thank goodness for The Gospel. It is sad, it is hard, but we can carry on. He is absent, but he is not gone forever.

But at every milestone, every family gathering, every happy moment he will be missed.

We love you Ben.