April 18th – tomorrow, is my brother, Matt Avalos’s 1st heavenly birthday. My mom & are going out to dinner to celebrate his birthday. I miss him and his popping up in texts or messenger with random messages or smart aleck remarks about my Panthers. 🤣 They weren’t always smart aleck remarks though. Sometimes we had fun chatting about football – though I know nothing compared to what he knew.

Anyway, I miss him. This is not something you prepare yourself for – your younger brother passing away – certainly not at 44 years old. Here are a few things that were special about my brother:

• He kind of reminded me of my Grandpa Avalos in his way of making friends and meeting people everywhere he went. Grandpa knew people literally everywhere we went. Matt seemed to have that knack for meeting people. I didn’t get that gene. Haha.
• I know people probably don’t know this, but it wasn’t unusual for Matt to stop and bring food or clothing to homeless people. When I helped my dad pack up Matt’s clothes last June, he said he wanted them to go to a homeless shelter or charity that supports one, because that’s what Matt would’ve wanted.
• Once, when he was a teen, he stopped a bunch of idiot kids who were picking on another kid. I think the kid being bullied had Down Syndrome. It’s an incident I remember, but it was not the first or last time he did something like that.
• He seemed like a tough guy. But he was sensitive, caring, tenderhearted, & super sentimental.
• He adored his grandparents – Light grandparents & Avalos grandparents.
  He often told me he loved me and that he was proud of me. That means the world to me now. I will miss him always – but I know he’s forever at peace and knowing the most joy he’s ever known.
  
  Happy Birthday, Matthew! I love you.