Get-Away to Midland

After the sadness and unexpected good-byes that the end of July and early August brought my family, there was nothing I needed more than a get-away.

Time to just go. Leave Quyon. Get as far away as possible, and do things that occupied my mind and made me forget, just a little, about the horrible weeks that had just passed.

Thankfully, I already had my holidays booked to accompany the Quyon COMBAT Flyers on their trip to the ISC Tournament of Champions in Midland, Michigan. We left early the morning after Troy's funeral, and even though my worry-wart heart was burdened at the thoughts of leaving home and family so soon, it was exactly what I needed.

For a full week, I had nothing to do but hang out in the hotel room, sleep in til 10 AM every day, go swimming, shopping, eat junk, drink Mike's Harder Lemonade, and watch some pretty amazing fastpitch softball.

The Opening Ceremonies

It helped that during the week I was surrounded by great people who made sure we all had lots of fun. The Flyers are a tight-knit group, and when all together, you can count on a good time. There is photo evidence of a hotel room party and a parking lot flip cup competition to back that statement up! Along with the girlfriends, wives, and kids that came along, it made for an awesome crew, and I think I can speak for us all when I say it was a memorable trip.

And on the field? A not-too-shabby result. The Flyers won their first game in the tournament, but then dropped three in a row, and were bumped to the ISCII bracket. Once there, they handily beat a team from Frankenmuth, Michigan, the Kitchener Outlawas, and Maccabi USA, bringing them to the semi-finals vs. the Wellington Sox. It was there that the Flyers bowed out of the tournament, losing 6-1 to the eventual ISCII Champions. They ended up in third place in the ISCII and improved upon their #29 ranking heading into the tournament, as they moved up a few spots to #27.

Overall, it was a wonderful week spent with great friends at the ball park. Thanks to the Flyers for letting the girls tag along this time - it was exactly what I needed!

Tonight, the Flyers will be heading to Carp to continue their semi-final series in the GOFL against the I4C Victory. The Flyers lost a close one on Tuesday night in Quyon, 1-0. It's do-or-die tonight.

GO FLYERS GO!!

The Day the Music Died

I can't believe I'm doing this again.

Two weeks to the day that I got the call from my mom to tell me about Jeff's accident, I received word that my cousin Troy passed away in his sleep, on August 8th. He was 36.

It feels surreal. To have lost two cousins, so close together, so young, so tragically...It's inexplicable. It's unfair. It's the summer from hell.

Troy wasn't the life of the party - he was the party. Where he was, there was music. His guitar and his voice were at the centre of many great times in my life. Young Family Christmas Eves are legendary because of him. The Coconut Song, American Pie, Free Fallin'...those songs will never be the same again without Troy leading the sing-along.

One of the memories of Troy that I will hold dearly is the year I decided to follow in his footsteps and learn to play too. That summer, after hearing that I was trying to learn, he came to Mom & Dad's, and we all sat out in the garage one warm August evening, and he played the guitar with me for hours. He gave me tips, showed me songs that I loved that were easy to play, and teased me about having to learn more than just D-chord. In fact, he called me "D-chord" for months after - until I finally branched out and learned some new chords.

I also have great memories of Dog Bone at the Luskville ball park. For a few years, I kept score for the mixed ball league there, and he was always making people laugh, especially with the game reports he wrote on-line, which he called "The Dog Pound". Troy was an entertainer. Where he was, there was laughter.

I still can't even wrap my head around this. I can't imagine Christmas Eve without him. I can't even imagine picking up the guitar again - most of the songs I knew he either taught me, or I learned because he inspired me to. My heart aches for Aunt Brenda and Uncle Garry, Scott and Jim. As we prepare ourselves for the wake and funeral, all I can hope is that the love and support pouring out from our families, friends, and neighbours will carry us through this.


I hope Jeff's showing you the ropes up there. We'll miss you, Dog.

Troy Turner Young ~ 1973 - 2010

Remembering Jeff

My cousin Jeff was one of the good guys.

He was quiet, but he had a dry sense of humour that could literally have you busting a gut laughing. When he was around, life was never dull. He always had ideas of things to do - boat rides, games of pool, fishing, snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, swimming, golfing... He was always doing something. There were many times when my brother and I were younger that Jeff made sure we were entertained when he was around us, whether we were at Grandma's, at Aunt Marion & Uncle Eric's, at our place, or at the camp.

Jeff was a hard worker. He got his BA in Science taking Environmental Engineering and worked for SNC-Lavalin. He also learned a strong work ethic from growing up working with his dad, and older brother Dave. Last year, Jeff built his own house for him and his girlfriend Haleigh.

Jeff also loved to play. Along with a group of his high school friends, they competed each year in their annual KAK cup, a fishing and golf tournament which Jeff won for the first time in 11 years, earlier this month. He surrounded himself with wonderful friends - a group of guys so tightly knit they were like brothers.

My cousin Jeff passed away last Monday, July 26, after sustaining severe head injuries in an ATV accident. He is the first person I've lost this close to me, and this tragically. He was only 28. Last week, as we attended his wake and funeral in Arnprior, and then burial back in Shawville, I struggled with how to deal. I've had moments of intense sadness, anger and denial, feeling this is completely not fair. But I've also had moments of peace. I have faith that Jeff is not gone, but that he is looking down over all of us, our own guardian angel above.

Last week was the hardest week of my life, but happy memories ease the pain. I'll think of Jeff often. There are countless pictures and stories to look back on. I'll think of him when I hear the song "Lost Together". I'll think of him when I see the green ribbon - the donation of his organs saved five lives last Tuesday. He'll be in my heart when I think of the empty stair step above me. I'll think of him when I see fireworks. I'll remember him at Shawville Fair. At Christmastime and all other family gatherings, his presence will surround us.

Jeff may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. We'll miss him always.

Jeffrey Roland Draper ~ 1982 - 2010