We have just suffered a great loss and it is incredible and truly touching to see all the great memories that everyone has shared of Dan “Danny.” He was such a sweet, kind and caring man. Danny was truly a rare gift and one of a kind. Through his struggles, it broke my heart to see him in pain, and only wish that I could have taken it all away. Though we did not share the lifetime together that we set out for, our time together was the most special and magical time of my life. Danny showed me what true love really was. To the past gentlemen of Danny’s life, we all share something very special and very unique, the gift of the love of a wonderful man that will live in our hearts forever. I truly hope that our Danny is at peace. It is just so surreal and incredibly difficult to accept that he is no longer with us.
I have written a letter to Danny, remembering our life together, and remembering him as my partner, my great love, and my best friend. Everyone should be as lucky to have found a true great love.
Danny,
From the moment we met, you have deeply impacted my life in ways I never thought possible. I will never forget the day we met at a community event. From the first glance at each other, we had an immediate chemistry. We were only able to speak to each other for a short time, but we both had the biggest smiles on our faces, and I knew from first meeting you, that you were someone very special. Though after the first time we met we did not see each other again for a few years, as life took us on different paths, I never forgot you and how incredible I felt in your presence.
A few years had gone by, and amazingly, our paths had crossed again. We both looked at each other, with the same ear to ear smiles on our faces and couldn’t take our eyes off each other. I knew from that moment we had an immediate bond and that you were going to be the greatest part of my life. I remember talking that night with you for hours, both of us wearing the biggest smiles like two giddy little boys. I felt so incredibly lucky that someone so wonderful had been brought into my life.
From that moment on, you and I began an amazing journey together. Each and every day I felt like I must have been dreaming that someone so special and so beautiful was the man that I was lucky enough to share my life with. You always had that boyish charm that was so charming. Your smile would make me melt. Every time you would walk into a room, my heart would race. Never in my life have I ever felt so much love or passion as I did with you. You took me to levels that I didn’t know were possible. It was as though we were two pieces from one unique template that were made together.
I remember our date nights, sitting outside on the tailgate of the truck eating gelato. No matter how busy we were, we always found time for our date nights for gelato, sharing with each other and talking for hours. We had so much fun trying new gelato places to find our favorite spot, and we liked them all so much, we couldn’t decide.
I remember the first moment that you said, “I Love You.” I was driving, you were sitting next to me and I was holding your hand. We were talking about how much you wanted to move to Portland to go back to school. I asked if you were sure that you wanted me to go with you. You looked at me and said, “of course I do, I love you,” I looked at you, each of us with ear to ear smiles, and I told you that I love you too. From that moment on, we knew that we would spend our lives together.
You were so thoughtful and always had a romantic gesture up your sleeve. I will always remember how I would be making dinner in the kitchen, or we would both be doing something in the house, you would walk over to me and put your arms around me and slow dance with me when our dance song would play. You always remembered me saying that particular song always made me want to slow dance with you, and so whenever it played you always made sure we did. I remember you telling me that we needed to have a song, one that was ours. You had listened to a song and you told me it is the song that makes you think of me. You even set it as your ringtone on your phone for me. So that was our song.
Though through all the great times, you were in pain, and I could feel it. As happy as we were together, I know that you silently suffered. It was the most difficult thing to experience with you, knowing that I could not take away your pain. As partners, our duty is to look after each other, and to keep each other safe. As hard as I tried, I am so very sorry, my sweet Danny, that I could not take away your pain. My heart aches with your passing, but I pray that you have found the peace that you seek. I know I will one day see you again.
Danny, my love, my partner, my best friend, you complemented my life in every way. You made me feel so alive that I could do anything. You made my life so bright and so rich with your love. Because of you, I truly am a better man. If I had it to do all over, I would not hesitate at the chance to have your love and share our lives again. You were the greatest love of my life, you are my heart. I love you so very much. You were an extraordinary man and we truly had something rare and very special. I will forever have you in my heart and will keep safe, all the wonderful memories of us.
All my love, my baby, Always.
Aubrey
