I was honored to be my brother's best man in his wedding. This was what I said of him.


This is a letter to my brother that I never sent. I wrote it on January 9th, 1983. Exactly one day after the day Brett was born.
This is a letter you never read, because you were only here for 24 hours, and I was 2.
“Where did you come from, man? Don’t you understand that this is my world? Everything around me revolves around me! Mom and Dad are here because of me! This house is here because of me! My best friend, Charlie, is here because of me! Why are you here? Where is Charlie? Charlie dog, who is this ugly thing next to me? THIS IS MY WORLD! How do I avert attention back to ME?”

So, I tried. I climbed to the top of the stairs of our two story house and reached out to swing the chandelier hanging above our dining room table. I caused as much commotion as I could. I even escaped the barriers of the confined house to visit with my neighborhood buddy. Mom and Dad didn’t find me for hours, or as they claim, 20 minutes. I tried anything to regain my parents’ love. Granted, it was there all along.

Brett;

I learned about your intelligence when we travelled the state with your Odyssey of the Mind competitions. I watched you as you worked with your friends to build skits based on random information. I saw how happy you were. At that time, I was still learning how to play the drums.

I learned of your athletic abilities when we travelled the state with your volleyball competitions. I watched as you learned how to build a team of kids to defeat another team of kids. I saw how happy you were. At that time, I was learning how to talk to girls. (I still haven’t figured that one out.)

I learned of your social abilities when I was learning how to drive. Granted, I was still learning how to talk to girls when you wrecked my Ford Mustang just outside the high school parking lot.

Even though I have been the “bigger brother”, you somehow were always my bigger brother. I learned more from you than you may have realized. And there is a lot in my life that I follow and learn from as I watch yours. My hope is that maybe someday you will follow in parts of mine.

To keep this short:

Stephanie; you have found a winner. Brett is a guy who has inadvertently mentored an older brother. Brett is a guy who has chosen who he wants to be in this world. Brett is a guy who has chosen who he wants to be with in this world. Brett is someone who I have, and always will look up to with the most respect. He has been my inadvertent mentor, staunch ally, and my best and longest friend.

I am excited for your future together. You complement each other more than any two people I have ever known. I wish you the best, and I will always be here for you. I love you both.

Raise your glasses to these two wonderful people!