Three months out of high school, I met the person I would one day marry. My best friend Sandy worked with him and introduced us. Even now, I can see him just as he was that day, standing on her porch in loose jeans, a Spitfire tee, and his hair dark and spiked. He was handsome, with light eyes and a smirk that made you curious. We talked for hours that night and ended up sharing our first meal together at a Jack in the Box drive-thru in his old Saturn.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
I told him I didn’t want anything serious because I was moving from California to Texas, but that didn’t last. We spent all our time together movies, dinners, and friends. A year later, on our anniversary, he took me for a sunrise drive on Highway 4. At a scenic overlook, he gave me a ring I had admired in a store. Then, he spun me around, dropped to one knee, and asked me to marry him. I said yes without hesitation.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
We married on August 20, 2004. The first year flew by—he was in college, I was working, and we were just figuring life out. Then, a week after he graduated from the police academy in 2005, my mom passed away. My youngest sister, Destani, was only five, and I told him no one would blame him if he didn’t want to raise her. He said he wasn’t going anywhere. At just 21 and 22, we became instant parents.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
In 2006 we bought a house, and later that year our daughter Zoey was born. Two years later, we welcomed our son, Cohen. Life was busy, but we always made time for each other. In 2015, tragedy struck again when Kyle’s brother passed away. His daughter, Alyssa, came to live with us, completing our family.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
Then, in 2018, everything changed. Kyle had been having stomach pain and went to the ER. Tests revealed Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was only 36. We fought hard, finding him the best doctors and treatment. For a while, it worked. We took family trips, made memories, and clung to hope. But in mid-2019, the cancer grew again. When the doctor said it was time to focus on comfort, Kyle told me he was tired. I knew in my heart it was time for him to rest.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
The day before he passed, we laughed, went for a walk, and enjoyed small joys. Surrounded by our children and family the next day, he whispered his love to us and then breathed his last. Before he left, he made sure each child had a special gift to remember him by.
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
Courtesy of Jenn Henricksen
It’s been months since he’s gone, and we talk about him every day. Kyle lived more in 36 years than most do in 80. Now, the kids and I promise to keep living like Kyle, saying yes to adventure, loving fully, and cherishing our village of support.
