As we wrap up another season, some advanced warning that this column isn’t focused on business issues, tourism trends or economic topics. Rather, it’s a reminder to take a moment and appreciate our community and the people around you.
We are blessed with a wonderful central location in Colorado, scenic beauty around us, unique towns and neighborhoods and of course our mountain recreation is hard to top. But lots of places have those things, to some extent. What really makes the Vail Valley a special place is the people that make up our community.
The prompt for this reminder is that my life changed two & a half years ago. Because almost exactly two and a half years ago, my brother was murdered.
My brother Craig was a good guy. A character. Was the life of the party, the guy who would walk in a room knowing no one and leave with a roomful of new friends. Everyone knows someone like Craig – and wonder how in the world all that personality can be wrapped into one person. He was far from perfect; he got in his fair share of trouble. But he always had a smile and he was a good soul.
As we drove to the airport after finding out the news of his untimely death, no words were exchanged due to the shock. As we reached Frisco, my wife Stacey looked at me and said “you know we are leaving as two, but coming home as three.”
The saddest part of the entire situation was that my brother was a single dad.
Kylah was 2.5 years old when her dad, my brother, was murdered. She was everything to him, and he to her. It’s a much more detailed story, but the short story is that Craig was killed by Kylah’s birth mother’s boyfriend, hiding in the bushes waiting for Craig to pick up Kylah after spending the day with her birth mother.
I hope no one ever has to explain to a two year old that her daddy now lives in heaven. It probably won’t be any easier to tell her the entire story when she’s older. But you make due. And despite the kind words we often receive from friends and acquaintances, we are not heroes. This community is the hero.
We are all part of a community. The Vail Valley community, where together we are stronger than the sum of our parts. It’s a great thing, something not easily explained. We can (and do) disagree on projects and we can (and do) disagree on issues. But let’s agree that this community is a wonderful place in large part due to the people.
Frankly, it’s because of the community that this family story has a happy ending.
We couldn’t do it without the community of people that make up the Vail Valley. The community here continues to amaze me with good spirits, good people giving back, people thinking of others before they think of themselves. That’s the magic of our community and it’s what helps make this a special place. So many people, too many to list, have assisted in our transition to provide a loving home to a young child. Special thanks to each of them. You know who you are.
Our family would have gotten lost many times on this journey if it were not for the great support from our “Vail family.” During this off-season, please take the time to appreciate the wonderful community we are lucky to call home. Personally, we have too many people to thank in this small space, but know that the community spirit is alive and well and serves as a beacon of light in an otherwise troubling time (and to be fair, we have received great support from outside the valley as well).
Don’t miss the opportunity during this slower season to call your siblings. Call your parents. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Call your children. Thank a neighbor. Shop at a local business. Get involved in the community. Take a moment to appreciate the little things, as there are no guarantees in life.
Postscript: our adoption of Kylah was finalized on Tuesday of this past week. It changes nothing, yet changes everything. On to the next chapter….knowing the theme of community and blessings to be surrounded on a daily basis by such wonderful people will continue to stay with us, and with all who are fortunate enough to call the Vail Valley home. And there is no place in the world I’d rather raise my daughter than in this community.