Firework

"Baby you're a firework." - Katy Perry

Tucker will always be my firework, my reason to move on and keep looking up. His spirit crackles and burns in my heart and soul. Every day he sets my feet on a path, the road is rocky and not with out scrapes and bruises but I am going in the right direction and that is all that matters.

Last year the we spent the 4th of July in Doernbecher. Tucker felt well enough to go out of his room to the sky-bridge that leads to the VA hospital and watch the fireworks from there. The whole Portland Metro sparkled as we could see bursts of color and light fill the horizon for as far as the eye could see. Like candy coated popcorn filling the dark night.

The Blues Festival raged on below us in the Waterfront Park and boats filled the Willamette River waiting for the big event. Just a year ago we were at the Festival but now we couldn't leave the hospital and would dare not take Tucker into such a large crowd. So quickly so much had changed yet we were determined to make it a fun night and celebrate our patriotism. We all wore glow-in-the-dark bracelets to bring the colorful light right into the hospital with us.

With a powerful boom we could hear the beginning and see the sky light up before us. Placing your palm onto the glass you could feel the vibration of the massive colorful explosions. Reds and greens, sparkling and screaming, boom...boom...boom. I knelt next to Tucker in his wheel chair and watched as we oohed and awed at our favorites.

Tucker loved the 4th of July. He we a patriot to the core. He was proud to be an American. He would love to pick up a giant box of firecrackers and sit on the curb to watch them go off, he enjoyed running around with sparklers and celebrating the country that he loved so dearly and hoped to serve one day.

Oh Tucker, with every bittersweet crackle of color and light that shoots through the sky tonight. Your sweet and sparkling spirit will be there too.