This post was first written on the fifth week anniversary of Gavin being recovered. We created this website for several reasons. First and foremost, as one piece of an overall effort to honor Gavin and to ensure he is never forgotten. It’s intended to be a therapeutic place where our family and those close with Gav can share memories and stories, little or big, to help with our own grieving process and perhaps to help others who are interested. It’s also about preserving these thoughts and ideas for the future; for Rachel and I to read 5, 10, or 30 years from now. It’s for Conor to read when he’s ready, or for his future wife or children to know more about his little brother, who I hope they hear lots of stories about, but will never meet. It’s for Gavin’s classmates to read as they graduate high school or tell a story of Gav in the future.
Many of us know someone who passed away when we were kids. My story is about an acquaintance who was accidentally shot. He was visiting with a friend whose family had guns in the home. The kids were playing with the guns not realizing they were loaded. My buddy was shot and killed. He was about 15 years old. I was about 12. As I sit here about to turn 52 I could tell you a few more details about him, but not much. I don’t want that to be the case for Gavin. I want people to remember him. He deserves it.
I can only assume the internet will still be a widely used tool a generation from now. When someone types in Gavin Christman in their search bar they will likely see this website, his obituary, and hopefully our not-for-profit Gavin’s Hugs will still be doing good deeds as intended. They may also see the news stories surrounding Gavin’s passing. It was a big story that reached newspapers across the country and in Europe. I don’t want him to be remembered as the boy who went missing in an Orlando lake for a day. I want him to be remembered for all the beauty and richness he brought to the lives he touched. I want people to know him. His sense of humor and kindness. His slightly unique sense of style. The impact he had on others. The hole his passing has left in our hearts our souls and in our family. That’s why this website was created, and I hope it lives on and grows for a very long time.
The photo accompanying this post was taken in our home in Sanford FL in December 2020. Gav was in one of his favorite spots on the couch in our living room.
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