My stepbrother Kyle passed away on Thursday. He was forty. Kyle came into my life when I was seven. He was fourteen, and we became stepbrothers when my mom and his dad married in 1997.
It took some effort to find a house big enough for our new family of seven. One of my favorite memories with Kyle came during the showing for the house our parents wound up buying. The adults were engrossed in conversation while Kyle, his brother, my brother, and I played hide-and-seek in the expansive closets upstairs. We joined ranks, hid, and relished the chance to jump out and scare each other!
Integrating our households was challenging at times. I had a very unhappy childhood, but I didn’t realize until later that Kyle probably did too. After high school, he left home and I rarely saw him. Eventually, he rose through the ranks to become the Director of Transportation at MITS, Muncie’s municipal bus service.
Years passed without us speaking. I hadn’t seen him in more than a decade. Nevertheless, news of his unexpected passing still struck me deeply. Losing a sibling, even a step-sibling with whom you no longer communicate, is a powerful thing. I can only imagine the profound grief felt by those who were still in contact.
Fortunately, those closest to him gathered in celebration of his life. As it turns out, a single day wasn’t enough to commemorate it. Next week, a larger group will gather to incorporate everyone who couldn’t come to the first celebration on such short notice.
