Happy birthday Col. We all miss you so much

Miss you bud. We're all thinking about you forever and always

Not a day goes by where I don’t think of you. Miss you so much Colin. Still can’t believe you’re gone. I miss bear valley with you.

missing you everyday Colin and at thanksgiving felt like a big part was missing without you there. Miss you so much and our rock club in bear valley, rafting, Murphy the monster and bondi the brave and our Colin, Kiera, and Annie club. Love you so much.

Thinking of you all. There are no words just caring. Peace be with all!
Love you

Missing you on Thanksgiving, sweet boy. I'll have that piece of pumpkin pie for you. Love you always.

Hi I’m alexandros Petrakos I keep thinking about Colin since Ifirst heard the news on august 30th what happened to him there was n o one who I am friends with or who I have met tha t was so nice as Colin I loved his welcoming attitude and his face which was so outgoing and he was so kind in mobile apps he was very caring.It suck’s in life when you have something you should be aprecciative of but you don’t realize how lucky you are to have someone in your class who seems like that’s what I have learned you should be thankful in life of everything that’s not missing from you and how you can make friends like somebody like Colin who is so kind. I have been very sad going to my 4th period class realizing how I don’t see colin a nice guy with a great smile who has nothing to hold against you only fun and Smiles. Thi s was one of my biggest life lessons I have experienced now I learned tha t during moments like these you should be very thankful for what you have and tha t if you complain there might be things tha t you can’t change and tha t it’s too late like saving a potential friend from dying is one of those you should prevent. Now tha t I think about how I should have been apreciated for having Colin as someone who seemed like a great kid too talk too and hangout I have now learned tha t feeling down can lead to problems you can’t expect now I figure out things more clearly after all that’s happened I’m hoping if the walkers see thi s message to at least reach out to m e so I can be a part of their community and speak to them in person if I ever get a chance because Colin means a lot to m e especially in the school environment and his family.

Think of you all often. Collin is a special young man who will remain in many hearts forever.
May Love ,Hope, Peace, Family and Friends carry you through this journey.
God bless you all, Love you guys, xoxo

Dear Liz, Rob, Aidan, and Keira,
I hold all of my Heather kids over the years close to my heart and it was truly heartbreaking to learn of your loss of Colin. I remember him fondly and all of you and your time spent at Heather. I wish you all peace in your memories.
With love,
Pam Jasso

Dear Liz, Rob, Aidan and Keira,
I am so very sorry for the loss of your beautiful son and brother. My heart aches for all of you, and I can't imagine the heartbreak you are feeling. I know that there are no words I can say to console you, but may you find strength and comfort in the same arms of God that are holding Colin now, and may his beautiful smile never fade from your hearts.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family.

Liz, I'm devastated for you and your family. I've been keeping up to date throughout this horrible ordeal through Chris and holding you in my thoughts. I simply can't imagine. Huge hugs and much love.

Liz, my dear friend from youth, my heart is broken and I am so sorry for this loss. Although we haven't stayed very connected over the years, I will always cherish your friendship and therefore share this unimaginable sorrow with you. I send you and your family so much love and and prayers for peace.

Dear Rob, Liz and Family – Laurie and I were so shocked to hear of Colin’s passing from your Dad. We are so sorry for your loss.

Please know that we’re thinking of you, your grief and only hope that after a while, the days will start to get better.  Your wonderful family and circle of friends will certainly help you navigate the days ahead.

If there’s anything we can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.

With warm regards,

Larry and Laurie Dean

Thinking of you on your 18th birthday, Col Col. I'll be with your mom today while your dad takes Aidan out for his own birthday celebration. I'm sure there will be plenty of tears but am also hoping we can all continue to share our endless funny Colin stories. We all miss you so very much, sweet boy.

Shared by Liz and Rob at Colin's celebration of life service on September 3:

Thank you all for coming today to help us celebrate our son Colin’s life. That said, we really wish you weren’t here. This is not how it is supposed to be.

Colin burst onto the scene with his regular sense of urgency and speed on September 16, 2003. He almost was born in our car since two years earlier on that same day, his brother Aidan had taken his own sweet time making an entrance. Looking back, I should not have taken my sister Kathy’s advice to take the time to do my hair and make-up so I looked good in photos after he was born. After much swearing at Rob to get the pain meds and nearly cutting off all circulation to his hands, Colin arrived in a flash and let us know right away that he was going to do life on his own terms.

He was loved and treasured from the moment he arrived. His smile lit up the room from the get-go. We called him our “pokey puppy” because he was always taking time to stop and explore everything along the way.

His main hero as a little boy was his brother Aidan, who he adored. Sharing a birthday, they were both blissfully unaware of the 2-for-1 cakes, jumpy houses, and endless train sets. He looked up to Aidan and loved him ferociously, always looking for his attention, and when he didn’t get it, bothering the crap out of Aidan until he did.

Colin was 22 months old when his turn came to be the adored and followed older brother. His sister Kiera arrived in 2005 and he was the light of her world from the beginning. Of course, he was also her tormenter-in-chief, but he loved her with all his heart, and Kiera is a tough young woman for having grown up as his sidekick.

His family and friends adored him and in turn, he loved them deeply. His grandparents were major parts of his life, and nothing made him happier than giving Grandma Evelyn “sugar” with hugs and kisses galore, playing (and beating) Grandpa Bernie in chess, and whitewater rafting with Grandpa Jim and Sharon, year after year. In turn, they loved him and supported us, especially during some of the most challenging times these last few years.

His favorite holiday of all was Thanksgiving with all of his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Before he died, he was already counting the days to when we would all hang out in Sacramento at Auntie Joan and Uncle Frank’s house and go bowling as a clan.

Colin loved every sport he tried and excelled in soccer, baseball, and basketball from a young age, with Rob as his coach on many of his teams. Some of our family’s longest and strongest friendships are with coaches and families from sports. In fact, you all were greeted by the famed coaches of the Deadliest Venom AYSO soccer team on your way in today.

And, although we might have preferred that Colin take up a safe hobby like 4-H or speech team, as his friends know, butterfly knives were his main passion. We didn’t quite understand it, but as we have heard from countless of the knife flipping community, boy was we good at it.

Colin’s favorite place in the world was Bear Valley, where our family spent summers and winters together with family and friends. Always seeking adventure, there was no rock high enough to jump from, no hill steep enough to bike down, and boulder he could not scale.

With all of Colin’s toughness, he had a soft spot in his heart for kids who were different. He worked with the special needs class at Carlmont and throughout the pandemic, we heard him helping kids from the special needs class get set up on Zoom, and answering their calls with a “Dude, how is it going?

Now, this may come as a surprise to many, if not most of you, here today, but Colin was no saint. He pushed us as parents in ways neither of us ever imagined. From an early age, Dr. Spock’s rules did not work with Colin. Every time we told him the “line is here” and here are the consequences if you cross it, he would catapult across that line and consistently be pissed that he earned the consequences by his choice.

To all of his friends here with us today, we look to you to create Colin’s legacy. Remember, although you might feel you are right now, you are not invincible. No matter how deep your pain is, drugs will not take it away, just blur it temporarily, or worse, end your life as they did for Colin.

We would like to end with this quote, shared with us this past week:

"Often while traveling with a camera we arrive just as the sun slips over the horizon of a moment, too late to expose film, only time enough to expose our hearts."

Colin, we love you and wish we had seen you develop into the man we knew you were on your way to becoming. You will always be part of our hearts. Goodbye, our sweet boy.

Dear Walker Family,
I remember Colin from Little Hands way, way back when our kids were just 2 years old. He was so sweet, so cute. And Liz was such a great mom in our class. I loved her honesty about parenting and her sense of humor. It was obvious she cared deeply about Colin. He left this earth too soon. I am heartbroken for your family. May his memory be a blessing to you.

Although I had never met Colin, having lived with Bill's and Nordis's Walker family as an exchange student back in 1967-68, I have always felt very close to all of them. I was very saddened to hear of Colin's passing. May his family, relatives and friends be strong and go on inspite of the great pain and keep the sweet memory of Colin in their hearts.
May Colin rest in peace.

Helen Panagopoulou
Thessaloniki, Greece

Dear Liz,
Although I never met Colin, he has been a part of my life through our many conversations over the years. You loved Colin fiercely. That love will never go away. I am writing this through tears; I can't make sense of what has happened. All I know is that love never goes away and I am absolutely certain that Colin knew he was deeply, and permanently loved. I love you and am sending you so much love, from one mom to another. I ache with you. We all do. -Firoozeh

Dear Rob and Family,

Nisha and I are very saddened to hear your tragic loss. We are praying for almighty to give you all strength to handle this difficult times. We are here for you for all the help and support you need .

Thanks
Rony and Nisha

Sending our most sincere condolences, and keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

The Dimick Family

This is such a difficult message to write when there are no words that make sense of this tragedy or can bring Colin back. Your family's loss breaks our hearts. It was our privilege to know him and how he lit up people and places everywhere he went. 

May Colin rest in peace and his death not be in vain with the education/prevention his memorial fund will accomplish to protect other youth.

We love you all very much. Gail, Anthony, Elena and Ryan

I met Colin in Middle school and he was a good friend. We were in the club called Lunch Bunch together at Carlmont. I m really sorry that he passed away.

Dear Liz and family,

I am so very sorry for the tragic loss of your sweet, beautiful boy, Colin. I pray that God brings each of you peace and comfort in the days ahead and always.

Dear Jim, Sharon, Rob, Liz and the entire Walker Family,
We are struggling to find the right words, nay, any words at all to express to you our deep, deep sadness to learn of the loss of your beloved grandson/son/brother/cousin. They say that Those Whom the Gods Love Die Young. Colin is loved - not only by the Gods but by, we are sure, all who knew him.
Hold him in your hearts and know that all of us as your extended family are praying for peace in your minds and hearts.

Love,

Dear The Walkers:

He’s only gone on ahead of you,
Not just left you behind.
Although you can’t be with him right now,
He lives on in your heart and mind.

The day will come when you’ll meet again
On Heaven’s distant shore,
And the two of you will walk hand in hand
Together forever more.

Hugs
Nicholas Nhien, Wenhui Tu, Siengxay Nhien, Fiona (our dog)

Dear Walker Family,

I cannot imagine the depth of what you as parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins feel at losing your beloved Colin.  The love you shared for Colin demonstrates your reservoir of ability to continue to love and care for each other and shine Colin's light into each other, into those you meet, and into who knows what other ways will manifest through Colin's memory. I wish you infinite peace and smiles as you remember your Colin. With love and caring, Liz Gallegos, Joe Glynn, and family.

Dear Liz, Rob and family,
Our hearts go out to you during this difficult time. From many years of watching Colin play baseball and soccer, I remember his competitive spirit and natural athleticism. He was always so fun to watch because he brought his A game every day. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Much love, Joe, Julie and Alex Seroogy

My deepest sympathy goes out to you, Liz, and your family. I am shocked and deeply saddened by this sudden loss. I saw how much love and care you showed Colin, and how much belief you had in him. I had the privilege of getting to know some of what was important to Colin in life and in his future. I learned in working with him on his college essay that Colin had a deep well of caring and was strongly convicted that everyone should be treated with kindness and warmth. His family was clearly the center of his world. His essay was about something that is most important to him, and for Colin, it was about being proactively inclusive with all members of society — ignore no one, reach out, and connect, even if someone seems different than you. I love that message. I’m so sorry this happened to such a bright young man. Your family will remain in my thoughts. ❤️
-Michelle

While walking a new trail in Bear Valley yesterday I was thinking there are no words that could help with the enormity of your loss and what you're going through. It then occurred to me that before it's too late I should tell my mom, you know, "this" is going to end someday maybe not far off.. but what's real won't be ending. Our connection, as close as our hearts, isn't ending, it's forever. So we don't have to worry about or fear losing that, what's real, what matters, because it's not going anywhere.
And it then occurred to me that that's exactly what I'd share with you.

My great uncle wrote this to his family when he found out he would be leaving "this":
Did they say I'm gone forever? Look around it isn't true.
Look around at flowers blooming, falling snowflakes, drops of dew.
Lie reposed in field or forest, or in sand beside the sea.
Look around then close your eyes, and I will lie there next to thee.

I think the last line is most important. Because the love and connection we think we lost isn't actually gone. Our mind doesn't understand this, so we feel loss here for some time. But eventually we discover the connection we think we lost is still there.. within and with us always.

I know this doesn't help with the massive pain and suffering of this change, and I'm really really sorry for what you're all going through. But pretty sure Colin is saying, hey, it's all okay.. let's go walk a new trail.

Hi Walker Family,

You all have been in my prayers all week. I am just devastated for you all. With God's grace, I know you all will be able to help other families better prepare to avoid the unimaginable. Take this time to grieve and know you have your entire San Carlos family here to support and love. 

Grace and Respect,

Coach Mark and his fam (Nikki, Caitlynn, Cameron and Jacob)

Liz, Rob, Aidan, Kiera:
We are so sorry for your loss. Back in the Heather and TL days, and through to Carlmont, our paths often crossed between Connor and Aidan’s group and Colin being in the same class as Tess or Donovan. The Walker kids were part of the tapestry of those years, including Colin’s bright smile. We’re holding you in our thoughts and hearts.

With love from Donovan, Tess, Connor and Veronica Rickson

Dear Liz, Rob, Aidan and Kiera,

We are so sorry for your loss and send our deepest sympathies. I remember dropping off or picking Brian up from playdates or birthday parties when the boys were young and Colin was always so sweet. His sweetness will live on. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers as you endure this very difficult time.

With much love,
The Zorfas/Olivares Family

Dear Walker Family,
I only know Colin through my dear friend, his Aunt Kathleeen. I can tell how much you all loved him and that Colin was such a beautiful young man with a good heart. My deepest sympathy to you all during this time and may God hold you close to his heart always.

I remember Colin as a third and fourth grader at Heather. He always had a smile on his face, and loved spending time with his friends. He is gone too soon. My heart hurts for your family. Sending prayers that your hearts can be filled with lots of good memories.

We are so sorry for your loss. Michael enjoyed spending time with Colin skateboarding and working out. He will always remember Colin for the good times they shared.
Our deepest condolences, and our thoughts are with you.
The Tong Family

Rob, Liz, Aidan and Kiera,

The love and joy that Colin brought to our family Christmas party will never be forgotten. Our hearts break for your loss.

We send you love and strength,

Chris, Lynn, Megan and Alex

Sending my deepest condolences your way, truly a terrible loss. You are in my prayers-

Nicholas Lawrence

Dear Walker Family,

We are grieving the devastating loss of Colin with you, and sending our love and prayers. We are so very sorry.

Julie & Rene

Dear Colin,

May God embrace you in heaven and carry you.
May your family be comforted and held with love and grace
every day moving forward.
You will always be loved, remembered and so so missed.
Every life is precious, every day is a true gift.
May your spirit shine and your story help others who suffer with
mental illness and addiction.
Bless your soul, your family and all the lives you have touched.

Big blue eyes, big smile and a big heart. Colin was always surrounded by friends and laughter when I knew him as an elementary student at Heather. I am just heartsick thinking of the suffering you are experiencing. I have found peace in looking through all of the photos of his time at Heather and seeing how he grew up into a high schooler. There are so many sweet, familiar faces who are now missing him. “Grief never ends but it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love.” I hope you are continually surrounded by so much love and support. My heart is with you and everyone who loved Colin.

Dear Liz,

There are no words in our vocabulary for a parent that has to bury their child. I pray to God to help you find the strength to bear this loss. I can not imagine what you, your family, and all the loved ones Colin has left behind are going through right now. I am sorry.

Do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can do to help during this difficult time.

My friend Colin. Whenever he was around me I would have no feelings but joy and just laugh whenever he was around. Even when I went to the shopping center I would usually see him. I miss my friend. My condolences for your loss.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your son Colin. My son Joey remembers playing baseball with him. Our family sends our love and strength to you. Thank you for establishing a memorial fund to help other families with substance abuse issues. 

Dear Liz, Rob, Aiden, and Kiera
We are heartbroken for your loss. Colin was a wonderful young man and will be missed tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. He will live forever in the hearts of many.

With much love
The Levin Family (Lyuba, Alex, and Ariella)

Dear Liz, Rob, Aiden and Kiera, My heart goes out to all of you. Sending healing prayers and love and holding you close to my heart.

Liz and Rob, Aiden and Kiera - there are no words to express our sorrow. 

Dean and Colin have known each other since Mrs. Logie's kindergarten class, they grew up at Heather and Tierra Linda together. It's hard to fathom his loss, we are grieving with you.

Stephanie, Dean and Kyle Johnson

Dear Walker Family,

I can only imagine the pain of your loss.

My meeting Colin was brief, yet the impression he left as a kind, sweet, respectful, and sincere, fine young man is lasting.

I pray for you to be given strength to cope and endure.

Our heavy hearts go out to you.

The Maitia Family

Liz, Rob, Kiera, Aiden,
My heart is as heavy as it could be for all four of you. I hope you believe, as I do, that the life of one who is loved is stronger than their death. So, though Colin is gone from you in body, in love he will always be with you.

Please reach out if there is anything at all I can do.

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.”
—J.R.R. Tolkien

Liz and Rob, I’m heartbroken. I am so very sorry for the pain you are experiencing right now. May the love surrounding you and your family be your strength as you get through each day. Colin was a sunny, loving little boy when he was in my kindergarten class. I will always have a place in my heart for him. Sending you so much love, and praying for you.

I am so sorry for you loss. I send you all of my prayers and love.