AJ was a compassionate loving young man that had the ability to touch every life he encountered. I like to think of it as AJ’s Reach. He was loved more than he knew. He wasn’t afraid to try anything. He thought he was invincible and he never though drugs would get the best of him. He was naïve in the power that they had over him and he refused to admit it.

His life was ended way too soon and although I feel him by my side I miss everything about him, even the things that made me sad. I miss his contagious laugh and his big smile.

How he called me Mommy and always said he loved me when we talked. I miss his hugs…a lot. I miss how I was surprised by his serious conversations and the passion that he had for the things he loved. I miss how he adored his twin sister Kailee and looked up to her like she was 10 feet tall. I miss him physically and the joy he brought to my life. AJ was passionate about his friends and would do whatever was needed to stand by them. Sometimes to a fault.

He had so many friends it was hard to keep track of and I was bothered by the fact he had so many different groups of friends. At his service there were almost 800 people and I realized what bothered me while he was alive was his gift. The gift of love and the way he touched so many lives.