1 year ago......REMINDER!!!! everyone please read


Nick

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One year ago today, I lost my my best hunting partner, my grandpa. That fall afternoon in 2004, the 25th day of October was a picture perfect day, a bow hunters dream. As I hung up the phone with my grandpa before he parted to drive to the next town to put in an afternoon bow hunt he told me "good luck". Those were the last words he ever said to me. Later that evening he failed to return home from hunting on time. Come to find out, our worst fear was now a reality. He fell out of his treestand and wasnt using a safety harness. As I lay in bed that night, minutes kept passing by, which soon became hours and I never even closed my eyes...just thinking and wondering "how is papa? Hes gonna be alright, i know!" At around 3:30am I heard my bedroom door creak open, as my sobbing mother came in the room and sat on the edge of my bed and the words, difficult, but clear came out, "Nicolas....we lost Papa, I'm really sorry". I sprung out of bed in shock and screamed "NO!" My mom calmed me as I face planted into my bed and began to cry. The next couple days were the hardest, seeing my family at such an emotional low. We had never encountered something this devastating in our family. We managed to pull together and get through. Now that a year has passed, so many things are different without him. There is hardly a time we can go visit my grandma and not find her sitting in the dark in her rocking chair sobbing and crying. I'm beginning to worry about her, shes lost alot of weight and has really started to show some age in just one year. Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and family reunions are now impossible without at least a moment or two that we all shed a tear together. Its just not the same atmosphere without having that famous smile and laughter he gave us and walking into the house without having the polkas blaring. Things will just never be the same......

I hope that everybody got a chance to read this post as it was very difficult for me to make in such detail. But I feel it is a very important message. If my grandpa would have just put on his safety belt that fall afternoon a year ago, my family and I wouldnt have had to go through all this pain and anguish. So please do EVERYONE a favor, not just yourself and WEAR A SAFETY HARNESS WHEN HUNTING OUT OF A TREE STAND!

Thanks for reading

RIP Papa, we miss you!!

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Re: 1 year ago......REMINDER!!!! everyone please read

Great post Nick. I'm a little teary eyed reading it.

Every year you hear a handfull of stories like that. A safety harness is so easy to use! But there are still a lot of people out there who are positvie that it can't happen to them. With all the money we spend on hunting equiptment, it is ludicrous to not spend a little money to protect yourself, and your family!

I'm really sorry for your loss Nick. I can feel your pain from your post.

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Re: 1 year ago......REMINDER!!!! everyone please read

[ QUOTE ]

Very nicely written Nick,,,, sorry about your family's loss...

I'm sure your message will ring long and very clear...

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yes i know exactly how you feel, i lost my grandma which i was very close too a couple years ago, sorry about your grandpa, that really hit me with the harness though, the thing is i own two of them, but i only were them when i am shot gun hunting, never bow, i think im going to start wereing it all the time now

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Re: 1 year ago......REMINDER!!!! everyone please read

Great post Nick. Again, sorry for your loss. It seems so senseless. I know that feeling of loss having lost my mom and brother to cancer. Family get togethers just aren't the same anymore. frown.gif

My buddy Tom's tired of hearing it, but I think he got the message first hand Saturday, wear the freakin' harnesses. Yeah, they're cumbersome, and yet another step in getting dressed for the hunt, but it's a necessary step.

Hang in there Nick. Continued prayers for you and your grandma are coming your way.

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Re: 1 year ago......REMINDER!!!! everyone please read

Great post Nick, I am sure it was difficult to write. Hopefully by your post you will convince just one person to wear a safety harness and it just might save a life. Hang in there buddy and just remember he will always be there for you in spirit. I lost my mom when I was 16 and there are many times, especially around holidays that I think about her. Now when I think about her I remember the special ways that she impacted my life. Those are things I will never forget and I am sure you won't either.

Jim

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