ForeverMissed
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His Life

Free Bird!

February 6, 2011

There is no way to end this, anymore the there is an end to Kyle's life! Our son lives on, we know that, we feel him with us, and we always will be. He is a " Free Bird "now, not bound by his earthly body, but now a free, living soul!

Parents should never have to plan their child's funeral service. Seeing your beautiful son, lifeless is beyond any pain imaginable. We never imagined on that day that we would be so inspired, but we were. During the service we heard how Kyle had effected so many peoples lives, in so many amazing ways. Some where people we had never meet before. We found out about so many things he had done that we didn't even know about, our humble son.

So many people came to the service, many high ranking Military officials, all his co-workers, his boss, neighbors, past and present. And of course, his friends, so many people love Kyle. It warmed my heart to see them all there. 

On his wallpaper on his MySpace page, he has, " Fate Has Come To Silence Me". It's from a song by a group called Shadow Falls, the songs title is "An Other Hero Lost".  It made us think that on some level he knew.

Maybe that's why he did everything fast, not waisting a minute! He lived life without fear, without hesitation.  

In the song, " Another Hero Lost ", by the group, Shadow Falls. , the first words are" I will never leave you, but fate has come to silence me."

He will never leave us, he lives in our hearts, and our minds for evermore. Our extraordinary Kyle!

Handsome

February 6, 2011

Kyle was becoming a very handsome young man, I thought he was looking more like Glenn every day, they were like two peas in a pod! He and Ashley had moved into a very nice Apartment along with Kyle's friend from his Safeway days, Andrew. It was not far from Carefree Hwy.

Kyle had a job working as a pool tech, and all was right with the world!

He was hanging out with us more, we love that! I think is was all part of him becoming more mature, and coming into his own.

I loved seeing him pull into the driveway, it was like Christmas morning every time I saw that kid!! The best was having us all together, it didn't get any better then that!

Kyle and Ethan were hanging out more together, catching up after Kyle's Army time. Kyle and Ethan loved each other very much!

Kyle has this way about him, this presence, you just loved being around him, I just never got enough of him, ever!

Kyle's smile was one you would never forget, it would light up room, as they say! And that twinkle in his eye, what can I say! Forever etched in my heart and mind.

Kyle kept in touch with Kristen, they remained friends, I loved that, she is in the Air Force, she flew in for Kyle's service. I believe they had unfinshed buisness.

Unforseen

February 4, 2011

Kyle best friend, Luke and  his brother-in -law Gary, were like family to Kyle, I think he was at their house more then ours! Kyle loved heavy metal, so their band, Unforeseen was it for him, it was a hugh part of his life. Kyle would be there wherever they played, I was told that he was always there for Luke, always had his back! Luke told me that they were brothers, and I know that is how Kyle felt also. They had a very special bond that will never be broken!

Kyle's friends were very important to him. He lived every moment to the max! He loved his crotch rocket motorcycle! I was always so scared he would get hurt! I wanted him to sell it, but I knew he never would. Now we have it, it is retired, we will never part with it!

He loved the TV show Rescue me with Dennis O'Leary, Ozzy, Loved Seinfeld,  he had all the episodes. He liked the movie, The Butterfly Effect, he said it  really made him think !

He liked the resturant The Mellow Mushroom, he ate there the night befor the accident.

Kyle has more CD's then anyone I know, he loves his music!  

SPC Kyle Erickson

February 4, 2011

Kyle was sent to Sether Airbase, Bagdad Iraq. his unit was the 169th CTC, transportation. He lived in a tent. He would call us often, not enough of course! He always sounded good, and when we would ask him what was going on, he would say "nothen". He was there for 15 months, the longest of our lives!! Kyle didn't say much about what he was doing, he always played it down like it was no big deal. But we would find out later that he was doing much more over there then he was letting on, but again, that was Kyle! 

It wasn't until his Lt spoke at his service that we found out that in the three years that he was in the Army, that he received thirteen medals! He never said a word.

The time had finally come for him to come home, thank GOD! He had decided to stay in the Reserves, which we thought was a good thing. It was a wonderful homecoming! All the neighbors put yellow ribbons up, our yard was full of them! It was December, what a wonderful Christmas we had! Kyle was home safe and sound!! Thank you God!

having him home was wonderful, Ethan was so sweet, if Kyle was out, Ethan would always ask "where's Kyle?" I understood his concern.

I had hoped that Kyle would stay home, but I also realized, he would be turning 22, and he wanted to be on his own. So after a couple on months at home, he moved in with some buddies, and his girlfriend, Ashley, I was glad he had someone in his life. I knew Kyle loved her, you could see it in the way he looked at her, and Ashley loved our son very much! They would come over and spend time with us, I miss seeing their shoes in the garage, I would make them take them off before coming in the house. I wish I'd see their shoes..........

Pvt.Kyle Erickson

February 4, 2011

After many tears, the day arrived for Kyle to leave home, I thought that would be the saddest day of our lives, of course we had no idea what would come later. 

Kyle would call often, I could tell he missed home, but he was doing well, looking forward to graduating basic training! We could not wait to see him. When the day came we all flew to Oklahoma to see him graduate, we were never so proud!! I just hugged him so hard, I missed him like crazy! We Had a great time, not much to do there, but we loved seeing Kyle!

After Kyle came home for Christmas, he would be going to  Fort Eustis Virgina, and then Iraq. 

While he was in Virgina, I would get a call from him, and he would say," Mom can you call Aunt Shirl and tell her I'm on my way?" So I would call Shirley and let her know Kyle was on his way to crash at their house. Kyle knew he was always welcome, and what a good cook his aunt is!

It was hard, not having him home, safe in his room. We cried a lot, we all missed him. He called one day, and told us what we all feared, he was going to Iraq.

Kyle was not one to talk about his accomplishments, he was humble to a fought. It was not untill he got out of the Army that we found out just how great he did.

Time in a Bottle

January 31, 2011

 Life was good, we had fun vacations in California, we went to the Queen Mary, San Diego, and my favorite Catalina Island! While on Catalina, after two glasses of wine, I made the mistake of telling 16 year old Kyle that he could get a tattoo! I had know idea how many more of them there would be to follow! Kyle loved his tatts!

We finally made it to Disneyland, better late then never. The Tower of Terror was the best!

Kyle had more friends then any one I knew. He had friends his own age, and many that were older, it didn't matter to him, he had all kinds of friends. One of our neighbors on Stowe Ct. was Eric, he is a grown man with kids of his own, but he and Kyle hit it off, and became fast friends.

When he was seventeen, one of his friends was killed in a car accident on I-17, his name was Matt Kraft, Kyle had a window memorial of Matt put on his back window of his Ford Focus. Matt's death greatly sadden him.

Kyle was not crazy about high school, but he was making his way through. He was talking about going in the Army, not what we wanted to hear! He was also talking about going into the undertaker business, that's Kyle for you, thinking outside the box! He was going to turn 18 soon, and was becoming more serious about joining the Army. His Dad and I tried to talk him out of it. We said that the Military is a great thing, but not when your at war, especially this war!

But Kyle being Kyle, he signed up, with our blessing, of course, and we took a very deep breath.

The big day came, graduation, believe me, there were times I wondered if we would ever see him march, but here we were!! When he came out side after it was over, I asked him where his hat was, he said we all through them in the air, it's in there somewhere. I freaked out! I said I have your tassel from Kindergarten!! Glenn went back in, but it was too late. Bummer!

As summer approached, I was dreading July, that's when Kyle would be leaving for Fort Sill Oklahoma for basic training. 

Kyle and Kristen

January 31, 2011

 It was official, Kyle had a girlfriend! So on Saturday, this was the routine, we would all drive down to her house, about forty minutes south, and pick her up, and she would spend the day with us, until her sister would pick her up that evening. it was like having a daughter, I loved that girl! One day we took them out dirt bike riding, and off they went, Kristen on the back of Kyle's bike. She wasn't suppose to ride on his bike alone, but he let her,  out of our sight, and she fell and ripped her new jeans! When they returned, Kristen jeans were ripped, and I remember she said her Mom was going to so mad because they were new. LOL!!

My Dad had been very sick for a long time, I had prayed many timed for God to take him home. On Feburary 26th, Kyle's 16th birthday, God did just that. I saw it has a gift.

One day, we came home, and walk in the door, and there is Kyle standing on the stairway  landing of the stairway, and he says, " we have a situation". he was calm, as always, I had left the double french doors open, and a bird had flown in the house. It flew out OK, but it was just so funny how he announced we had a "situation!"

Kyle had a job working at Safeway, he was there for three years, working his way up from stocking, to cashier.

Good by New Jersey, Hello AZ!

January 31, 2011

 The next morning, my sisters drove Ethan and I to the airport, and off we went!! It took Glenn and Kyle three days to get to AZ, I was never so glad to see them in my life! 

So our life in Arizona was off to a great start, we made fast friends with our neighbors, and found a wonderful church, AZ HIlls, and loved Pastor Dale, and Pastor Bob! 

Kyle would be starting his freshman year at Barry Goldwater H.S., because Anthem did have a High School yet. He was OK with the move, but not thrilled. He made friends, and started settling in just fine. He was into his BMX bike and wished they had a bike park, instead of a skate park in Anthem.

Dirt bikes, were a big deal here, and so we got the boys dirt bikes. Kyle was thrilled with his, and rode it every chance he could!

He came home one day and said he met a girl, and wanted to take her out to diner, just like you and Dad do, he said. The way he said that was very touching, that he wanted to be like us! So I drove him the the restaurant where her mom was taking her to meet Kyle. That is when I saw Kristen for the first time. I was surprised at how beautiful and lovely she looked!

Growing Up

January 30, 2011

 Kyle was a happy kid, love to ride his bike! If he was not in the pool, he was riding his bike. His best friends, were Mike, and Paul. Mike and Paul's Mom's were girls I grew up with, so it was nice, growing up in a small town.

Christmas mornings were the best! We would make the kids wait up stairs until everything was ready, and then we would say OK, and there would run down the stairs so fast, Ethan would come down on his bottom!! What fun, we always recorded that, so many wonderful memories!

One day our Jack Russell Terrier, Katie, bolted out the front door, and Kyle ran after her through the neighborhood, racing her down and saving her from, as Kyle put it, " from the mouth of a Rottweiler'! Our hero, Kyle!

Our next door neighbor, Dave was older then us, but Kyle took a special liking to him, and was always "going over to see Dave". I thought it was nice that Kyle thought so much of him. He would later in life have older friends also. When Kyle was stationed in Virgina, he would drive up to N.J. and see Dave.

We started vacationing in Arizona, thinking we would like to move to a warmer place when we retired. I don't think the kids wanted to move, what kids do? We came out every summer for five years, making sure we could take the heat, it was not so bad, we made the decision to move.

The night Kyle graduated eighth grade, and after the party, Glenn, Kyle, the dogs Mason and Katie, Wyatt, the parrot, all headed out on their adventure across the country driving to AZ!

The four of us!

January 25, 2011

 So there we were, just the four of us, life was good! I will never forget his first day of school, Ethan was just three months old. We walked down to the corner to wait for the bus, Kyle was all excited for his first day of Kindergarten, so there we all were, and here comes the bus! Kyle steps up onto the bus, and all of a sudden we hear this blood curtailing  scream! I jump on the bus, and calmed him down, and sat him next to a friend, and he was fine. Coming home was another story, the bus driver said he screamed the whole way home!!

Kyle loved our pool. I took him for swimming lessons, put he would not go in the water with the teacher? She tried everything, but I had to come and get him. So he learned to swim at home. Kyle and Ethan loved to have Glenn play with them in the pool. He would walk around, and around the pool and make a whirlpool, they loved that! Do it again, Daddy, do it again! Glenn would make another whirlpool!

My Bomb Dog Zeus, or Zeusy, as Kyle called him, lived at home with us, but really did not like to be in the house, so we had a nice kennel for him out back in the yard. So I thought it would be nice to get the kids a smaller dog for inside to play with. Off to the animal shelter I go in search for the ugly / cutest, dog I can find! Sure enough, there he was! Dessie, short for Desperado, because he was a stray. Dessie was  now a part of the family. Dessie and Kyle became fast friends, and spent many hours running around the house together!  

Kyle played T- Ball, but it really was not a passion for him, but it was fun to watch him. My Dad, Pop Pop, loved to come and watch him too! Kyle was everything to my Dad, they had fun together before my Dad got sick.

Kyle played soccer, he was a wing, and he was fast! His nickname on the team was Flash! We loved to go to the games and watch him play, proud parents, of course! Kyle also wrestled for Gibbstown, he was good, and his cousin Johnny gave him pointers that helped him, we loved to go to the matches!

Kyle help us when we became active with Greyhound rescue, he loved dogs, and was always happy to help! He even was in the newspaper, for making root beer floats at one of the fun raisers.

When the 4-H Fair came around, Kyle loved to go with me in the patrol car and help me at the fair. He liked to drive the golf cart around, we always looked forward to going to the fair.

His favorite TV shows when he was young were, Tool Time, Full House, the British comedy, Keeping Up Appearances, I Love Lucy, of course Barney, when he was a baby, and Mister Rodgers. Loved the Smurfs too!

When he watched ET for the first time he cried so hard, I will always remember that.

When I would tuck him in at night, I would sing him his song, Kyle, Kyle, your my sweetie pie, your  the one, your the one, your the one I love, love!

Home Sweet Home

January 24, 2011

 The house was great, large over sized living room, two story with four large bedrooms. And of course, all the memories!!! Knowing Daddy build it with his own sweat and blood, made it priceless. The yard was hugh, and Kyle had plenty of room to run around and play, and he did. One year he got a motorized truck for Christmas, and he was in heaven! Driving it all around the yard! Driving was something that would later be one of his passions! He was such a wonderful child, he brought us so much joy and laughter, life was perfect!! 

Glenn and I were busy with our Law Enforcement careers, it was a wonderful life! There was my forever companion, and protector, Sweetpea. Glenn and I decided that we wanted to give Kyle a brother or sister, so be it, baby number two was on the way!

I have to tell you this, I think I turned three shades of red! Our Pastor had come over to visit with us, as I was very pregnant, we came into the living room, Paster Bill, Kyle, Glenn and I, Kyle had just turned 5 years old, and he says to Pastor Bill, "My Mom has a big butt!"   OMG!!!! Out of the mouths of babes!

On March 18th, 1992, at 12:21 P.M. along came  his baby brother, E-Man. Ethan Glenn Erickson.

With both my boys I enjoyed 18 hours of labor! Thank you very much!!

Kyle loved his baby brother, they were always together, he was a very good big brother!

Our Son

January 24, 2011

Kyle was born on February  26th 1987 at 11:57 pm! He was due on my birthday, March 1st, but true to who this new little person was, he was in a hurry to start his life! The first thing I asked the Dr. was, "did he have red hair?" No, but that was OK! His proud Daddy held him first, I had a C-section, thank you very much! When I saw him for the first time, I thought he looked like Popeye. What a dream it was to have our son, he was a joy in our lives, from the moment he was born. Our lives changed in amazing way, I never realized before what loving your child means, now I know.

When we were picking out names, the movie  The Terminator. had just came out, and Glenn and I both like the good Terminator, Kyle's character, so, that is how we picked Kyle, and Aden, is my Dad's middle name. I always thought his name sounded like a movie stars! Kyle Aden Erickson!! Perfict!

We were renting a sweet little home in Pitman N.J., but wanted to buy our first home together, so we starting looking around.

Kyle was always a happy baby,a little colic at first, but after that, he was a breeze! He loved his crib, I mean loved to get in it, he would stand up in his crib and sing and laugh, it was the cutest thing. 

In 1988, when Kyle was just 18 months old a wonderful thing happened for us, Glenn and I were able to buy back the family home that my Dad build, all by himself, with little help from anyone. But my wonderful Daddy is another story! We all grew up in that wonderful home, Bonnie, Shirley, and me! Now everyone was happy that 71 Mellon Ave was back in the family!