That was very touching. He is such a good kid and the love you have for each other is tremendous. I’m sure you’re still in touch with him. Be strong. If only every father-son relationship were like yours.

What a beautiful memory.  You have every right to be proud—DJ perfectly reflected the love that surrounded him.  Colleen

Dawg,

That is a beautiful story.  So vivid and full of life.  Thank you for sharing your son with us.

Sending you a *BIG HUG*

Very touching Dog You will always be thankful you have that beautiful memory. Im very thankful you chose to share it with us.

What a great memory.  Thanks for sharing it with us. 

Oh and I just wanted to add:    just because I could. 

Wow.. What a beautiful memory. Tears are rolling down my face. You’re in my prayers.

Dawg, thats precious. I’m so happy for you that you got to say I love you and hear it back before he was taken from you.

I already cried through this story once.  Now you go and add a picture.  You’re killing me here.

I love you and I know how hard this is for you.  I’m really glad you’re doing it though.

That’s awesome. You had a good and beautiful son and nothing can ever take that away from you.

what a great pic of the two of you… and a wonderful memory… thanks for sharing…

That’s a lovely picture and a lovely story. I’m happy your last words were so beautiful

I’m glad you shared this, it was a beautiful story.

Is it considered unprofessional, as part of the blog therapy and all, for us to cry when we read this stuff sometimes?

What a wonderful tribute to DJ, he was a truly amazing and wonderful child. 
thank you for sharing.  that picture just rips at my heart.

Good memories and a great picture, Dawg. Take a close look, and you’ll see that DJ’s cheesy grin is a mirror image of yours. . . he’s with you. *hug*

What a great tribute to the great job you and his mother were doing raising him.
Memories like this will make you strong. <3

I am so sorry.  This is such a beautiful tribute and a beautiful memory.  I have no words, only tears right now.

Oh punkin’ ... what a beautiful story.

*hugs*

I know I don’t know you very well but I have been unable to think of anything else all week - I have cried over your loss and I cannot even imagine what you are going through - but you are one helluva strong man and even though I don’t know you very well, your love—your unbelievable, limitless love for your son is wholly evident in everything you write.  Thank you for sharing this.

What a beautiful memory.  Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

What a beautiful little man. And thanks for sharing.

Dawg, that is beautiful.  I’m so glad you got to spend the morning with him and got that final hug and “I love you”.  And one more cheesy smile. *sniffle*

WD, you have such a beautiful way with words.  The picture of you guys is adorable.  They both brought tears to my eyes.

I’m glad you have that last memory, as it’s a good one.

Your son obviously loved you very much, as evident by the videos, and by your words.

I’ve been thinking about you this past week, and wondering how you’re doing during this horrible time, and I’m glad you’re back to blogging as therapy.

We’ll all be there for you as much as you need us, and we’re all thinking about you and sending you our love and support.

If you ever need anything, anything at all, all you have to do is ask.

Terrible for you and your family.  I’ve never read your blog before but my heart is absolutely breaking for you and your family.  He seems like a wonderful son and reading what you wrote convinces me that he must have thought he’d hit the “daddy jackpot.”

People always say that time heals and wounds.  when the coach of the Colts lost his son to suicide he said essentially that time DOESN’T heal all wounds but it somehow gets easier to deal with.  I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it seems so.

Oh, what a smile!  He looks just like his daddy in that picture.....your smiles are identical.

As for the nasty teacher....that would have made my blood boil, too.  I hope that haunts her for the rest of her life...that she stole that moment from DJ on what ended up being his last day. 

It’s obvious, though, that the love DJ was surrounded with FAR made up for any nastiness on the part of that teacher.  How blessed he was to have you as his daddy!

I was reading your post out loud to my husband, through my tears, and when I got to the part where he turned around to hug you, I couldn’t continue.

My husband said to me - without knowing you said “I wonder if he knew” at the end - “It’s like he knew.” That was his thought, too.

What a beautiful, beautiful memory to have as your last moment with him.  I believe, with all my heart, that he is with you now, still, holding your face, smiling a huge smile, and saying, “I love you.” Try to feel that when you feel like you can’t go on. 

Thank you for sharing this with us and allowing us to enjoy this memory, too.  I will hold that adorable little smile in my heart forever.

Awesome story.  I am glad you shared a nice day with him, something that can be of comfort knowing what a blessed morning it was to be together and your final words to eachother.
I have a son that just graduated kinder as well, and I cannot imagine. Be strong.Thank you for sharing.

WD, what a generous heart you have, to show all of us who weren’t privileged enough to know DJ just how profoundly you loved each other. 

I’m praying for peace to be on your heart, and that the smile you shared with your son makes a reappearance as soon as it’s able.

I don’t know what to write.  I am crying while I read your posts about you and your son, and I feel for you as only another parent could.

You and your family are in my thoughts.

Be still my heart. You are the epitome of a father. In the YouTube videos, it was so apparent that DJ knew he was the apple of your eye. In this picture, I can tell you know you were the apple of his eye. Your son knew he was loved unconditionally, what a lucky little guy.
I’m so glad your final day together was full of good times & ended with “I love you’s”. I’ve wondered if he knew also. Kids are so in tuned.

He is definitely his father’s son. Thank you for sharing with us. You & DJ have been on my mind so often. I hope our collective love is of some help to you.

Love you friend

Dawg, I’m so happy you have that last powerful memory of your puppy monster.
I had a very similar memory with my 24 year old just 2 days before he passed away in a car accident. It has held me up for the past three years and probably will for ever.
I will be thinking of you for a long time…

My son graduated Kindergarten this year as well.  It’s clear he really loved you, how lucky he was to have you there for him - to love him back.

I think he may have known…

**Hugs**

There still aren’t good words to help, but if I ever find them, I’ll send ‘em along.

I can’t say whether he knew or not, but I’m glad that you’re able to find comfort in a sweet memory.  And if he *didn’t* know, it’s beautiful to have proof that you created a loving and affectionate kid who was able to express that love regardless of the circumstances.

Dawg, I am so deeply sorry about DJ.  I’m so heartbroken for you.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Wow, those are some beautiful memories of DJ… I am only sorry that I wasn’t here before to get to know him thru your stories…

I’ve re-written this post several times… to put it briefly. We love you Dawg. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!

We love you a lot.

My heart breaks all over the place for you. 
I’m glad you had that beautiful last moment with him.  I just wish with everything I have that it didn’t have to be your last moment.
Love to you and yours Dave.

At least your last moment with him was a sweet one...not that it makes this any easier.

I love you Dave...we all do. 

There are so many adults in this world who don’t always show the kind of maturity DJ showed at graduation (I’m guilty of it myself).  Whether or not he knew he didn’t have much longer with you, I get the feeling that you and Pudding being there with him and for him at graduation was what really mattered to him, not his idiot teacher.

And you do have each other’s cheesy smile!

I’ve heard from parents (mine included) that yeah...there was ‘something’ they should have noticed, but didn’t think about until afterwards.  We aren’t meant to really know I guess...yet we can look back & know.  All I can figure out is there is a plan, & we’re not in on it for whatever reason...we just need to LIVE.

((hugs))

The memories are so important. I think they keep our loved ones in our hearts.

Once again, thank you so much for sharing the finest moments..the wonderful celebration of life.... the skipping to the corner, I love that. You are a fine man.

What a wonderful memory to have.  *HUGS*