Saying Good-bye To Bryce
by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle
Today, the news doesn’t matter. The hell with Donald Trump, the Democrats, the Supreme Court. I don’t care what the stock market did, what celebrity is cheating on their spouse, or whether my property taxes are going to rise.
Today, we celebrate the life of a young Norton boy. A baby who never wanted to be famous. His sister who will grow up without her brother. Their parents — their amazing parents — who have suffered the unthinkable while giving us all a lesson in love and devotion.
Bryce Derosier died last week. He was just 16 months old and suffered from mitochondrial disease. He spent months in the hospital, but was tough enough to return home and spend his final days with his family.
I wrote about “All Mighty Brycie” a few weeks back, recounting the story of his illness and his efforts to defeat it. Now it is time for us to stop concentrating on how he fought, and focus instead on what he taught.
The love this little man generated in his short time on earth is incredible. It speaks to the power we all possess yet seldom use — the power to love and trust unconditionally, to have hope in the face of hopelessness, and to extract what is good and important from whatever limited time we are given in this world.
Bryce brought people together with his smile, his strength, and his love of life. He never gave up, largely because his parents and family never gave up on him. I will always be in awe of how they stepped up and cared for him, advocated for him, and provided him with the very best life he could have. Despite the unimaginable pain they must now feel, they are so lucky to have had this amazing little boy in their lives.
People who never met Bryce loved him. He was symbolic of everything good and right with us as a people. Total strangers donated to help him. His father’s fellow police officers covered his shifts and gave the money to help Bryce and his family. No one asked Bryce’s politics, or his religion, or where he was born. They just fell in love with his smile, his spirit, and his family.
Bryce is survived by his heroic mother Jamie, his brave police officer dad Jeremy, and his beautiful sister Aubriella. He also leaves behind a legion of fans who came to love him, and were so inspired by his courage and determination.
But as we stop and say goodbye to Bryce, we thank him for what he has given us. We thank his parents for sharing with us both Bryce and his story. That takes a special kind of strength and character, which clearly runs deep in this amazing family.
While it is entirely appropriate to mourn, you cannot look at a picture of Bryce and not smile. That is his legacy, what he leaves for his family and friends.
How fortunate we all were to have Bryce Derosier here for a short while to shine his light, and show us all the way.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist who will hug his kids and grandchildren a little tighter next time. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
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