I got a note from Laura Perron who was out of the country for the bench dedication, but did return to the bench to remember Ryan on his birthday and put a special card up after cleaning their dedicated bench. Ryan and his family of four died in a plane crash in Watsonville on July 7, 2011. Excerpt of the note below.
“I wanted to share this photo with you. In celebrating Ryan’s birthday I made this “card” and we attached a necklace from the Dominican Republic….we knew how he loved his necklaces!
We went to the bench on Friday morning and wiped down the bench and attached the card. Ron and I sat there for about 30 minutes and talked about and remembered Ryan. It was a beautiful sunny day and the ocean was sparkling like a sea of diamonds. Off in a distance the sea lions were making a lot of there “talking” noises. We think of them all so often and miss them so much.”
We miss them too and not a day or night goes by when I don’t think about them. I still remind myself about the tragedy even as I’m dreaming and I immediately wake up hoping that it was all a dream.
A poem by Wayne (Woody) Kenney, David’s SCUBA instructor.
Grey skies reflecting sorrow off wind blown waves.
A Family lost, remembered in the breeze.
Of sunny days below Egypt’s Red Sea.
Glowing sands down Mexico way.
Smiling, happy faces of those Four,
Our hearts will ever endure. Blue skies, fly away.
Loving Life, always adore.
Peace, IMWood