Hi Uncle!
Wow this is the actual date four years later! <3 I still remember the night getting the news, and how life suddenly changed. I had to get used to not receiving birthday calls with the outburst "Andreaaaaas" as the first thing i remember ^_^. The day is of course a leap year day, so the proper reminder only arrives every four year, and i bet you are happy as we possibly will focus on it less. But as you can see by the countless messages, we still hold you dear, and will till we ourselves leave this earth.
I always fear that I consciously don't think of you enough in my day to day life, but you'll always be in my thoughts, and i will forever miss you! On this day you were taken away, but you're still apart of us. I wrote a song about you, i want to have the same positive outlook on my future life as you had. I try not to complain, and i try to put others needs before my own as you did as well. Just hearing about your accomplishments and how great of an inspiration to everyone you were, showed your humility and humble nature. You never bragged, and i never knew how many people you touched (and still touch posthumously). I hope to have the same impact on people in my own way (music, friendships, respecting my peers, and treating all equally while giving everyone a smile) and I reach 10% of what you did, I will be considered a great person and i'll feel fulfilled.
This is a sad day as i try to remember our last encounters, and i remember us at a fast food restaurant, and i asked you about you and Aunty Sheila having children at some point, and yo replied that it was not a focus, and that you probably wouldn't get any. And seeing Aunty now raise a child is both beautiful, and also abit heavy as i knew you would have been an amazing father, as your affection as an uncle already was that of a parent. Our family will make sure that Aunty gets everything she needs as a mother. While you're her guardian above, well be down here.
I have always had a weird relationship with faith, as science is getting more and more precise and detailed, and i'm at that state where maybe i'll turn religious and maybe not. A thing you said regarding the matter i remember, was i Ghana where i told you exactly this, and you said "at some point in your life something happens with makes you believe", and you said you didn't have a firm belief all your life, and that different experiences lead to your faith. I respect these words so much! They are words of acceptance, and experience, and just openness. You could easily have told me i was wrong for not fully believing, but you understood and because i respect religion of all sorts, and you could sense it, you just said if it happens it happens.
I want to believe that you are looking from above, and even though i can't fathom it myself, then this faith has helped a lot of the family get through.
I would have loved to talk more football, and regret that we never got to see a match together! Sorry that your english team isn't doing well, and you spanish team is boring atm, but would have loved to banter about it with you.
Speaking of hurt, all this hurt has given me a fond football relationship with your brother Kwame, and i guess you've passed that on hehe ;) . I will make sure we keep in touch! I'm having a great time with the Man U - Liverpool rivalry we have.. it's a pleasure! <3
I can probably go on and on... (about your presence, your fashionable gifts, your willing to give etc.) but you already know that. It's been four years, and even though life goes on and more losses will arrive in my life before I go myself, yours is the first major one and that's another reason why it hit so hard (in extension to all above). My life is good otherwise. Soon finished growing (as i'm 25 next year, YIKES!) so that's fun :D , still don't know where my life will go, and the fear of failure still suppresses the will to do at times, but in music or sports in the future is definitely a possibility, and i hope you'll follow ;)
Your Nephew, Andreas <3