A Sad Loss

I wanted to do a post about a wonderful man who sadly passed away on Audrey's birthday.  He was in our ward before our ward split, we were casual friends.  He was among the very best of men, which is why his death was so sad.  He was hit by an unlicensed driver (an 18 year old kid) during a morning jog with his wife.  He was rushed to the hospital, and although almost every bone in his face was broken, the doctors were cautiously optimistic about his recovery.  His minor brain swelling did not improve, and grew worse until it eventually ended his life.  There were so many of us that were praying with all that we could for a miracle, and there were so many good reasons to keep him here on the earth.  He left behind a loving wife and 4 young children.  He served faithfully in the bishopric in his ward.  His smile was one of those that was contagiously happy.  You couldn't help but want to be around him.  It is hard to accept God's will in a tragic situation like this.

On the night before his funeral there was a tribute run to honor Derek.  It started thundering, raining, and lighting right when the run began.  By the time the runners/joggers/walkers reached the end (where Derek had been hit) there was a rainbow in the sky, and the rain had stopped.  I took it as a sure fire sign that God had heard all of our prayers, even though he couldn't answer them in the way that we had hoped.  Even though life brings us terrible storms, God is always there watching over us.  I will always remember this whenever I see a rainbow.  Here are a few pictures that people took, PC goes to Cindy Savoldi and Amanda Yost.

We attended the funeral the next day, I thought I would be crying uncontrollably throughout it, but the feeling of peace and love was undeniable.  Yes, many tears were shed, but more than that, there was peace and hope.  It was the most peaceful funeral I have attended, and the reason for that is Derek lived a good life. He lived how God would want him to, and he lived a full life.  Yes, it ended too soon, but he was ready for it.  It has really made me reflect a lot on my own life.  It has made me want to be the kind of person that makes people around me happy just by smiling.  I am grateful for the sealing power we have, and the promise that families are forever.

Here are a few news articles about Derek:

http://www.wral.com/tribute-run-honor-holly-springs-jogger-killed-by-teen-driver/14614335/

http://abc11.com/690968/