one time when we went to six flags and he insisted that he ride in my car so I had to clean out the entire backseat and than he ended up passing out in the backseat. Or when you guys would ride his favorite ride at six flags he would insist that you cheated. Or when we could go to your house for Halloween he would be outside pacing with his cape on and stero blasting waiting for everyone to arrive.

-Kelly Regan

I remember at Children's World we had a talent show, and all of us had little bits that we did. And there was one at the end that all of us did, and it was for Cain. It was the Men in Black song. And we all clapped around him while he danced with Josh and Jeremy. Completely random, but it was a really good time and I know he enjoyed it.

-Crystal Labay

My most memorable moments of Cain are every home game at Marcus High School. During time-outs and half-time I always found myself watching him shoot hoops and play on the court rather than listening to Coach Kyle or doing whatever I was supposed to be doing. He was always more entertaining and never boring! Cain definently knew how to put on a show and really was an entertainer!

-Caitlin Freeny

Me, Castro and several other players would sit with Cain during your games, before our games. He would always have a collection of an entire collection of something. Two of his collections that come to mind were his card collections and DVD collections. He would ask us which out favorite ones were and it was funny because he would keep showing us until we picked the ones he agreed with! He definitely brightened my day when o would see him. I will ask Paul to send more details.

-Michael Flood

-Kelly Krause

Joyce Fuel

Carolyn and Bill,

Carolyn and Bill,

I had no idea. I am sorry.

I love that picture of him. That cross of mischievous and defiant is how I remember him.

I will tell Aaron. (Aaron’s first reaction whenever I mention Cain’s name is to giggle - he remembers him quite fondly.) That time we spent with the Challenger League remains one of the most important bonding times of our lives. It meant so much to us - more even than the time we spent as coach and player in little league.

Again - I am so sorry.

Take care.

Rick VonFlatern

Carolyn:

I am so sadden by the news of Cain's passing.  I will always remember him as a happy boy (as I did not know him as a young adult).....and what joy he brought to everyone including you, Bill,and Cara.  He loved the Easter egg hunts we had here (and still to this day the adult children (my nieces) who are in their 30's want us to have them here once again as they have little ones now.  In fact, this past Christmas we passed on the water bed bag that we used to blow up every Easter for the kids to play on. 

I am so sorry for your loss.  I know through Jeff that Cain did indeed live a full life and I know that he did make others laugh.  We will see you Thursday night....hugs to you, Bill, and Cara.


Love to all of you............Suzanne Stauffer
 
 

Carolyn,

 I am so sorry to hear about Cain.  He sounds like he was a very special person and I know brought you a lot of happiness and smiles.  I will be praying for you and your family.

 Dale Petty

I wanted to share these photos of Cain taken just last week.  This is my last memory of him and how I always want to remember him: smiling, laughing, having fun with friends, loving life and wearing his medal so proudly.  And of course, enjoying Cic's cinnamon rolls!  
 

The Langfords

I sent Pictures from half time game last year at Flower Mound High School. I love the one where Cain is the leader of the Pack. He was always watching out for the little ones. The others are from the tournament last year in Allen. Matthew was often in his shadow and Cain kept encouraging him. My favorite Memory of Cain was at the Globe trodder game. We had to wait in that room for the players to come and Matthew was having a difficult time. We were frustrated and moving into tantrum mode….here comes Cain…he calmed Matthew down without a word and started playing ball with him on the floor rolling it back and forth. It soon turned into a game with several other team members. I was truelly amazed at his gift of discerning the needs of those close to him. And understanding exactly what Matthew was feeling and how to help him and (me) feel better. I wanted to take him home with me.

Heather Jackson

Dearest Bill, Carolyn and Cara,
It is difficult to find the words to express our feelings for all of you right now except
to say that you are in our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers.
Last night before going to sleep I was trying to think of everything I could remember
about Cain. I think the first time I saw him was at a basketball game at Bishop Lynch sometime
during Cara's freshman year at Marcus. He and Bill were on the floor shooting baskets
either between games or at half time. I was amazed at how good he was from long distance. Then there was the picture
of Cain and Bill in the Dallas Morning News. I recall most of the Cain anecdotes that Carolyn would put in the Christmas
news letter. i remember that as I was celebrating a birthday Carolyn telling me that Cain enjoyed his birthday
party at Hooters. Then there was the Cain with the bling.
Cain packed a lot more in his 24 years than most of us do given a lot more time. i am so
glad that he got to be a part of Cara's entire college basketball career.
I am currently away and might not make it back for the memorial service but one thing for
certain is that as soon as I get home I will turn the kitchen calander back to February and
it will stay that in perpetuity.
I passed your note on to Gen Schmitt and she commented on how she was impressed with
the way that Cain was always so supportive of Cara's basketball.
 
Love from all of us,
Bill, Linda and Billy
 

Nancy just called me with the news of your son's passing - want you to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and Bill. Nancy and I have been out of the country until yesterday when she went to the old Missouri farm and I came on home to go back to work.

Wish I had something profound to say to ease your pain but I would only repeat what you already know and others have said - your a great person.

Jim and Nancy Horne

Carolyn, Bill, and Cara,

Yesterday was Cara's graduation at UD.  Great day for Cara!  So proud of her academic accomplishments and her athletic accomplishments.

It was Cara's day but Cain was there in our hearts!!!!

I miss him !!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad

I still coach the Special Olympic basketball team Cain played.  We're about 3 weeks from the State games. 

Last night was going fine...no Cain moments until...brought a bag for the practice balls...and out falls Cain's sweat band.  He wore it in his last basketball game on February 26...at the Area basketball games.

I miss him!!!!!

Dad

Cain wanted a gun.  Not quite sure what kind he wanted.  But I know if he had a gun he would have used it on bad drivers. 

In warm weather...in fact any kind of weather...Cain would ride with the window down.  His finger gun, unholstered and out the window. 

Anytime there was a bad driver, a road hog, Cain would shoot them....blow off the smoke...and return the gun to its resting position...outside the car.

I'm confident he got his driving etiquette from Carolyn.  I was always the ideal driver for Cain.

Dad

Sitting in church yesterday, I recall on Cain's last Sunday, before he was called to be the crucifer, he tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the stained glass window with Jesus, as the Good Shepard.  The window shows Jesus holding a sheep, while other sheep are following.   I said "Okay". 

A moment later, again, Cain tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the Good Shepard window.

Maybe Cain knew...that in a little  more than 24 hours later, Jesus would be lifting him up, off the floor at work and holding him in his strong arms...welcoming him to his eternal home.

Dad

Stopped and had my car washed.  If I was getting the car washed after his work, Cain did not reallly like waiting while car was finished. He wanted to get home and to his room to spend with his girls or his music.

This time, without Cain, while the car was being dried...a neighbor saw my car and the memorial pictures of Cain and expressed sorrow for Cain's loss.  He lived up the block and walked his dogs and liked seeing Cain. 

Another man at the car wash indicated his mother was a ISD teacher that had known about Cain's death.

There was a LISD elementary teacher there and she was touched by Cain...just by hearing about him.

Dad

Yard work in the front yard has become emotional.  The last 3 times I've been working in the front yard, cars have stopped and expressed convalescences for Cain. 

One stopped and said they would miss the Cain show...where he would be some costume...whether his cape and crown or King Tut crown...with swords or Yu-Gi-Oh cards.  One mother and son thought he was playing Wizard of Oz. 

I do not know.  That is another question I ask Cain when we meet again in heaven.

Dad

Instead of baseball cards, football cards...or even WWE wrestling cards....Cain loved Yu-Gi-Oh cards. 

 Everywhere he went...everywhere....no matter what store we were at...he was looking for Yu-Gi-Oh cards.  He found them at Walmart, Target, Academy Sports, gas stations... He knew when a new series of cards or tins were out.  He wanted them all. 

Each time after he had gotten new cards, Cain would open then up...and wait....until I would sit down with him and read each card.  He would beam when he got to a card he knew YuGi had!

Cain could not read but he knew his Yu-Gi-Oh cards.  If he was watching Yu-Gi-Oh on television, he would have his cards spread out just waiting for Yu-Gi-Oh or Marek, YuGi's arch enemy, to play a card he had... Cain loved to play his god cards...or Red Eyes Black Dragon. 

We would sometimes duel.  Cain would give a deck of cards and we would simulate dueling because Cain did not know really how to play.  But he did know the monster cards with the most stars were the best.  

 Cain usually won...and he was practicing to duel YuGi.

Dad

Cain was my son for 24 years. 

I do not kow if I want to live 24 years without seeing him again.

I miss him!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad

Cain and I went to the Sports Clips in Lewisville for the past few years. 

Everyone was very nice to Cain, especially Molly and Victoria.  Cain liked Victoria!! 

Cain always liked getting his hair cut...and a wash and a massage.  He would fall asleep as Molly or Victoria...or whomever rubbed his hair.  At the hair washing station there is life size poster of a Dallas Cowboy cheer leader.  I was told Cain always threw a kiss to the cheer leader after his wash

He never thought his cut was completed, until...he had his eyebrows trimmed. He always beamed with laughter coming out of Sports Clips. He was always jacking around with my wallet when I was paying...trying to take some money...or the credit card...or anything to get a laugh!

Molly bought a couple of Cain's Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas, where Cain was Mr. February 2011.  It was very difficult to get my first cut without Cain. 

Dad

Cain's SO soccer team had their soccer tournament on 4/30/11.  In the four games they scored 4 goals.  They did not win a game.  Last year, in one game Cain scored 4 goals.  Cain would get the ball and go right down the field and shoot.  Many of our players would try to get within 2 feet of the goal before shooting.  Not Cain...if he was close, he would shoot.

The team missed him....Carolyn and I missed not seeing him with his friends..joking, knocking Russ's cap off, again and again....laughing...laughing...seeing Hanna, a pretty girl to talk to....

Dad

When Cara was playing select basketball in 2005 she had a game in Mansfield.  Almost as soon as we started, I felt odd.  I started sweating and could not stop.  We dropped Cara off and headed to the Critical Care doctor office.  When we got there, my heart was beating at about 220 beats a minute.  They got it under control but off I went to the Arlington hospital for further tests.

Cain and Carolyn were in the Emergency room with me.  I was upset as was Carolyn, not knowing what was happening. 

Cain came to my face and pointed to the end of the bed.  I thought what is he pointing at?  I shrugged my shoulders.  Again he pointed to the end of the bed...and said..."Jesus right there." 

Within a couple of minutes...the doctor came in and said...my problem was an electrical problem and not a plumbing problem.  It's better to have the electrical heart problem.

I am now waiting for my call to Heaven and so I can hear Cain again say, "Jesus, right here."

Dad

Cain...would not allow us to eat food...any where...at home...at a restaurant, without Jesus being invited to our dinner, as our guest. 

Love and misss you!!!!!

Dad!!!!

Cain lived with two Lab dogs, "Moke" and "Knick", and a cat named Fidget, which he could not pronounced, so he would it "Cat".  Often we would find Cain asleep right next to the dogs.  One arm over each dog.

For fun, he would get the Cat and put it in the prison of a clothes basket.  Just waiting to see how Cat would make his break.  He must of done other things the Cat did not appreciate because Cain would have some scratches on his arms.  I would ask where did they come from and he would say "Cat."

Cain might leave some food wrappers, yogurt containers or candy wrappers, in a trash can.  Some times the dogs would rummage through the trash and make a mess.  I would got to chastise the dogs...but Cain would be their protectors...sitting down with them...hugging them and saying "Okay".  Not sure if the "Okay" was that it was Okay for the mess or it would be Okay once the volcanic actions of Dad subsided.

Knick and Moke miss Cain, too!

Dad

Here's what Cain would usually do when he got home from church.  He would undress and proceed to get the dogs in a lather by teasing them by putting their favorite toy on the bed....just far enough onto the bed, so they could not reach it.  They would have their paws on top of the bed..and barking...and barking. Cain would be saying..."Moke" for Mocha and "Knic" for Knicklet.  AND he would be laughing and laughing and laughing....he thought I was getting mad when I told the dogs to get off the bed. 

That would only make Cain laugh more and more because the dogs were more interested in the toy.

Did I say Cain was laughing!

I missssss his laughs. 

Dad

While visiting Carolyn's family in California, we played Pictionary.  Cain played. In that we had spent the day Sea World in San Diego. All Cain's pictures were Sea World related and specifically Shammu.  He drew Shammu every kind of way there is.  It was hoot. 

Dad

Cain loved horror movies.  He liked the Evil Dead movies with Bruce Campbell.  They are unbelievably, fake gory and fake special effects but...Cain loved them.  There is one scene where the evil girl is locked in the basement.  The evil girl could only escape by breaking through the trap door...which was chained shut...but it could be opened enough for the evil for whisper..."Come join us."

We would tease Cain, by saying is a evil like voice..."Cain, come join us.  Come join us Cain."  He would get mad and tell us to "Stop!" and hold his hands over his ears.

Dad

Cain wanted a car...a bumble bee car...the yellow car from the Transformer movie.  He would not be able to drive it..but he wanted a car for his girlfriends. 

One time at Lego Land California Cain drove at its mini-car ride.  We thought what could happen...well..Cain drove and drove and drove...with little regard to the traffic signs...directional signs...other cars.... We heard over the loud speaker..."The red car...please drive in the right direction."  Cain was in the red car.

Dad

One of my deepest pains for Cain is that he never was able to read.  That doesn't mean he did not love books, magazines, new papers.  He knew the words meant something...and he knew some words...but not enough.  It's like looking at Russian...or German....you know the symbols mean something...but what?  He bought a book at the church book fare the day before he died.  He wanted big books...with lots of pictures. 

When we went to the grocery store...Cain would spend most of the time in the magazine isle.  He always wanted a magazine...sometimes he got one.

Dad

Cain loved to swim in our pool.  He was the first one each spring and the last one to take a swim in the fall.  During the summer....he would swim...be in the pool...some times 4/5 times in an afternoon.  Each time he would need a clean, dry towel...so Carolyn would have a pile of wet towels on Sunday night.  I think he was using some of the swim times as his belief he was cleaning...taking a bath.

He could spend hours throwing the tennis ball into the pool for Mocha to retrieve.

I misssssssssss him!!!

Dad

Went to Good Friday Service.  Carolyn had  bad day.

Our service proceeds through 7 mini-sermons.  After each sermon the lights are dimmed a little bit until the sanctuary is almost dark....then there a loud noise, marking the closing of Jesus' tomb.  Cain did not like the loud noise, no matter how far away we were from the noise. 

I heard the scriptures differently this year...when it was read that at Jesus death "he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."  Some how I feel that is how Cain died on March 7.  Cain bowed his head and gave his spirit to Jesus. 

Jesus died so Cain could live forever without anymore fear of pain...a slow heart...misunderstood words...etc.

Knowing that to be true, i MISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS him!!!!

Dad

You know you see movies or television shows, where a child's room is same, as the day the child died.  I now know how that happens.  Since Cain's death on March 7, I have been in his room about 3 times.  It just hurts too much to see  Cain's DVDs, Cain's books, Cain's posters, Cain's bed, Cain's clothes, Cain's.... I do not even try to look in it while I pass by.  it's bad enough I have to walk past Cain's pictures.

Dad.

Cain's favorite day of the week was Tuesday.   Why Tuesday? 

Tuesday is the day the DVDs are released.  Cain and I would often stop at Best Buy on the way home after I picked him up at work.

He would always be looking for the new wrestling DVDs.  He would wait week after week for the new wrestling DVDs.  His last new wrestling DVD was Royal Rumble.  He would make me read the matches.  He wanted to here the matches with girls.

Dad

Cain was my best friend.  No matter what Cain was doing,if I said I wanted to go ...any place...Cain would stop what he was doing and come with me.  Carolyn would often say, she was working or watching a program or.... 

Cain always wanted to go where ever I was going.

I miss my best friend.

Dad