More About Chris
| The first word Chris learned to
read was STOP. That was a result of watching everything I did while I was
driving while he was still strapped in a baby car seat. He saw the great
power of this sign, and he loved it! Since he was a baby during the late
60's and early 70's, he noticed that many stop signs had words added so
that they read "STOP the war!" He asked me about that and I tried
to explain it so that a 3-year-old could understand it. A few days later,
at kissy-goodnight time, he popped out with, "Mommy, I would stop
the war."
By the time Chris reached age 3, he began to show some really special qualities. He could already read, write, and play the piano. You could touch any key on the piano and he could go to the piano and find it. |
| This soccer picture was a portent
of things to come. Chris learned a love of running. As he grew older, he
tried to run 5-7 miles daily. Especially if he was sick. He was convinced
that running was a cure-all. "Chris-sightings" were a common
occurence to many people in many locations in northeast Atlanta. Once we
were driving I-85 North between Clairmont and Shallowford Roads and noticed
a young man with a good build running along the access road. In an instant,
we realized it was Chris!
Apparently his ultimate, most satisfying sport was rugby, which he was introduced to at Georgia Tech. |
| This picture with his dad was taken
while he was in high school. As Chris grew older, he and his dad were often
taken as brothers.
|
This picture of Chris and his sister Devon was made at Stone Mountain the summer he graduated from high school. Devon had just finished her sophomore year. He quipped to curious onlookers that they could see them "in the underwear ads in the Sears catalog." Chris was "Star Student"
of his high school class, meaning that he had the highest SAT scores in
the class. It was typical of him that he never earned any real academic
honors. In fact, to put it mildly, he wasn't into teacher-pleasing behaviors.
|
How interesting that during his last visit home he was excitedly showing Mom his Navy Celestial Navigation book...
Chris knew he would never live to be 21, and in fact died three months before his 21st birthday.
Yet we know he is around, surrounding us with love, advice, and quite often, his humor.
From the time he could talk, his primary question was and remained "WHY?" Now we are the ones to ask that...
Chris shared with us his magnificent
energy
and his courage
and his honor.
Left to us
are moments of closeness
and the indefinable joy
we felt when he was near.
~ Grandma Elizabeth Kuzela ~
May 1, 1988
|
Memorials | Compassionate Friends of Atlanta | Wall of Memory |
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