September 12, 2000

Dear Family,

I want to share an abbreviated summary of the memorial service that
was held for Skylar in his hometown in Atascadero. I'm sorry that I
have taken so long to get to this.

Before Skylar died, but when we could see the end nearing, Skylar's
other grandparents got us started organizing in preparation for his
memorial. They also did the lion's share of food preparation and
serving in the afternoons and evenings when we were at Skylar's house.

Four of our friends (three from Grace Bible Church) drove all the
way up from home (a five hour trip) to be at the memorial service.
My sister Lynn from Cleveland was there.

Suzanne's brother Jim flew in from Texas, and her sister Terri and
her husband drove down from northern California for the service.

Pastor Cullen opened the service with a prayer and with the reading
of selected scriptures. Then he read a brief eulogy of Skylar's
life.

Papa sang a song that Skylar had written during one of his many
hospital stays - "Someone Has Risen to Heaven". Then people were
invited to share any remarks they might have about Skylar's life.

Dr. Macias, Skylar's pediatrician, attended the service and stood
up in front to speak. I will try to (roughly) recall some of the
things that the doctor said.

"Skylar was the bravest boy that I have ever known. I learned a
lot about life from Skylar. When I talked with Skylar, I wanted
to help prepare him for what was coming. A couple of weeks ago,
I spoke to him about heaven, but Skylar would keep changing the
subject. He told me that he wasn't going anywhere yet. Skylar
wanted to live, and he made every day count."

Leslie, one of Skylar's favorite nurses, drove all the way from
Stanford twice, once to visit Skylar on the day of his Make A Wish
party, and then again to be at his memorial service. She also stood
before those gathered and said something like this:

"Skylar was a very giving person. He would give you anything that
he had that he thought you might like. He put stickers on our name
badges (she held up her badge to show the sticker Skylar had put
there). One day he was on his way to radiation treatment in a
wagon. He said 'I'm going to see how many people I can get to
smile along the way'."

Christopher, Skylar's older brother, stood in front and spoke about
his little brother. "He was my best buddy. I'm really going to
miss him. I think he's playing with his friend Peter in heaven."
(Peter is Skylar's hospital roommate who died from the bone marrow
transplant.)

Papa stood up and shared some memories from Skylar's Daddy, Jeff,
who could not be there. He also shared recollections from Uncle
Chris and from Nana, who were not composed enough to share on their
own.

Daddy: "Skylar, you were and always will be the best part of me.
You are my motivation to go on for the rest of my life, my
inspiration for living."

Uncle: "Uncle Chris came to be known as 'Uncle No-No' because he would
always watch Skylar like a hawk and, if Skylar was about to get into
mischief, he would say 'No!' and halt Skye in his tracks."

Nana: "I was there when Skylar was born. I was the first to hold him.
I gave him his first bath. I will miss him every day of my life!"

I (Papa) shared briefly what I thought would be most important to Skylar.

"Skylar loved many of you, some of you a great deal. I believe that he
is present with the Lord right now - not in some mystical, wishful-thinking
sense, but that according to scripture he is with God. As much as I wanted
to, I couldn't save Skylar's life... but Skylar and I have a Champion, one
who will one day raise Skylar from the dust, in a new, real, and perfect
body. That Champion is Jesus."

"If he were here today, I think Skylar's great desire would be that everyone
whom he loved would one day be in heaven with him. And so, if you felt
Skylar's love during his life, I want to urge you to read God's word for
yourself and make very sure that you will be there."

"You can't get to heaven on your own. Just as Skylar knew, and said in the
song that he wrote, "He (that is, Jesus) had to do it for us". You must
rely on Jesus to save you and make you fit for heaven."

Vicki, who has been such a friend to Suzanne and our whole family, sang a
medley of some of Skylar's favorite songs, ably accompanied on guitar by
a gentleman from her church. At the end of the service we all sang "Jesus
Loves Me", a song I often sang for Skylar.

Afterwards outside Suzanne helped the children let some balloons go and we
watched them blow up and out of site in the strong wind. Two police, who had
shown Skylar kindness in the preceeding weeks, were at the service.

There was a reception dinner afterwards in a meeting hall nearby. Some ladies
from the church prepared and served lasagna, bread, and salad, punch and coffee.

Our family would like to express our great appreciation to all those who
organized and participated in Skylar's memorial service and who prepared for
and served and cleaned up after the reception that followed.

-Dann (for us all)