Eric,
It is unimaginable that you have been absent from your physical form for seven full months. The days seem to drift by in a distortion that the human mind can never fully understand. Time continues to move forward, yet part of us remains frozen in the moment we had to say goodbye.
This is the first Father’s Day we have experienced without you, but we celebrate you just the same. We are preserving every memory you left behind for your one and only daughter, Emirah. We are collecting the photos, the videos, the stories, the messages, the laughter, and even the smallest details of your life so that there will NEVER be a question about how much you loved her.
You said, “I’m not going to die. I have a three year old to raise.” And you were right. Your love for your daughter is evident in your words, your actions, your dreams, and every plan you made for her future. You love her so much that even an altered digestive system could not keep you from showing up for her.
One day, when she is old enough to ask questions, we will have answers. Every single detail is documented and perfectly preserved for her. We will tell her about your creativity, your determination, your sense of humor, your talent, your loyalty, and the way you loved your family (we will also tell her that she gets her OCD from her daddy). We will make sure she knows that she was always one of your greatest joys and that her father loves her beyond measure.
You did not die; you transformed. You evolved beyond the limits that humanity shackles us to. No longer do you have to wonder about scan results, doctor’s opinions, treatments, procedures, or any of the burdens that accompanied your earthly journey. You have been liberated from the constraints of human form and restored to wholeness.
Though we miss you more than words can explain, we are grateful that you are whole again. Until we meet again, we will continue to speak your name, share your stories, honor your legacy, and love the beautiful daughter you entrusted to all of us.
Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever EZ. 💚