AIDAN'S DIARY - DECEMBER 2002

6 December  2002
We parted company with our special young man today at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, where he shall rest until we meet again ... some sunny day.
I think Aidan would have been proud of the sendoff. The small chapel was full to the brim with family and friends, remembering happier days for us and him. There were such days ... prior to 27 November 2002, when the world shook and Aidan fell out.
We chose a "boy blue" for the coffin and released monarch butterflies after lowering it down to say farewell. Opa, Grandad, Big James and Dad carried the coffin and lowered it. Liam and Evan also helped carry the coffin to the chapel and the grave. 
The service proceedings can be seen here. The original service booklet, prepared and printed by Trish's uncle Jeff, can be seen here as an Adobe PDF document.
Big James was roped into reading the euology ... because Dad knew he wouldn't be able to finish telling the story. Big James performed admirably. The euology can be seen here.
Aidan's year 2 teacher, Mrs. Thomson wrote us a letter which became the tribute we asked her to read. It was just wonderful. That letter can be seen here.
The final reading was by Dad and can be seen here.
Our thanks to Jane and staff at Seasons Funerals for conducting the service and Gayle O’Leary-Barlow for speaking so eloquently in the chapel and at the grave site. 
- Dad
 
 

Liam, Trish, Caitlin & Dad with family and friends. Click to enlarge.

Trish, Caitlin & Dad releasing butterflies. Click to enlarge.

7 December  2002
Trish, Caitlin and I returned to Pineroo Memorial Park to see Aidan's final resting place. The grave was covered in flowers. It was very peaceful, but no trip to such a place under any circumstances can be faced without shedding tears.
Our little man is gone.
- Dad

8 December  2002
Over the past many months, snippets of a verse written by Rutger Hauer for a final scene in the film Blade Runner have returned to me, time and time again ...

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhouser gate. 
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. 
Time to die.

It's the first and second last lines that ring out ...

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. 

An earlier scene in the film included this sagely remark by Dr. Eldon Tyrell when addressing the replicant Roy Batty ...

The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. And you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.

Aidan's light also burnt very, very brightly.

For so many, it would be hard to comprehend the toil of the past 3 years and the darkness of the past 2 weeks. It's not something I would wish upon anybody. Sadly, other families have walked a path similar to our own and lost their own special son or daughter to some form of cancer. Our family and close friends have a better appreciation than most of the path we travelled.
Everywhere we look in the house, we see Aidan's handiwork. Everytime we see the twins, we see Aidan staring back at us. Caitlin has followed Aidan's footsteps with art and craft. He is still with us in many ways, but is also lost in time, like tears in rain.
We miss you little man.
- Dad

11 December  2002
Walliston Primary School said farewell to Aidan this morning with a very moving ceremony on the school oval. The students reads poems they had written, the teachers remembered our little man in prose and tears, the choir sang Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and finally, the students, teachers and our clan released balloons bearing special messages to our superhero while "I'm A Believer", from the Shrek soundtrack, filled the intervening spaces. It was a beautiful thing to behold. There wasn't a dry eye on the oval. 
The school principal, John Paton, spoke of Aidan. Those words can be seen here.
Aidan's teacher, Mrs. Thomson, spoke of her Room 3 Rascal. Those words can be seen here.
We were met during the ceremony and afterwards by students, teachers and parents ofering hugs and stories of remembrance. A large monarch butterfly performed a brief aerial flyover of Aidan's teachers and classmates during the ceremony. Methinks it was Aidan's way of saying hello and thankyou. 
One of Aidan's oldest friends, Becky, attached herself to me at the end of ceremony and remained by my side for the remainder of the day. I was held captive at school by some wonderful little people, all saddened by the loss of a special friend.
Our thanks to John Patton, Barb Thomson, teachers and students for letting us know, in your own way, how much you cared about Aidan. 
We miss him and know you do too.
- Dad
 

The school principal, John Paton, speaks of Aidan. Click to enlarge.	Mrs. Thomson speaks of the Room 3 Rascal. Click to enlarge.
The balloons line up at the starting gate. Click to enlarge.	Caitlin, Trish and Liam say goodbye.  Click to enlarge.
500+ balloons are released bearing messages for our special boy. Click to enlarge.	Up and away.  Click to enlarge.

13 December  2002
One of the balloons for Aidan was found by a farmer, near Beverley, some 100 kms south of Walliston Primary School. The student who has sent the balloon included her name and phone number. When the farmer called to enquire about the balloons origin and purpose he was told of Aidan's plight and memorial. Another complete stranger was moved by Aidan's story.
- Dad 

25 December  2002
We miss you little man.
Christmas hasn't been the same without your warm and cheeky smile.
We were left to open our own presents this year without your intervention.
I called upon you at Pineroo with some roses and a Christmas tree of your very own. Gandma and Opa had also left you some roses to smell.
- Dad

26 December  2002
A family tradition, of sorts, was carried forward with the annual Evans watering festival. Last year Aidan managed to dampen a good many people with the assistance of ice cream tubs and a massive water gun. This year was no less quiet, or dry. I know Aidan would have enjoyed the day had he been with us.
- Dad
 

Last updated:11-Nov-2003