Today reminds me of the time I mailed Todd a Thanksgiving card and it came back to me 6 months later! He had already moved to California when it got returned to me. hahahaha. Nice mail service. It's unbelievable just how many lives he has affected. I read through his candles from his friends and the memories and I realize what a lucky man he was to have everyone, but more importantly how lucky WE were to have known and loved him. I miss you big man.....
"Just a Dream" ~ C.U.
The weekend in July of 07 that I spent with my brother and my family is what I will always remeber. The stories he told us about Alaska and Cali and the old stories we went over for the billionth time, it is all so priceless.
Today my kids talk about him and we all laugh. They write stories and Jason tells every dirty, off color joke that Uncle Toddy ever told him.
The one memory I will always cherish is the one I have of Todd and my baby Jason sleeping on the couch in Mom's living room in Fairbanks. Jason was so tiny and Todd, even at 17, was a big boy. It was so beautiful. Thank God for "polaroid" memories.
When we were kids, Todd got in trouble in school and had to dig a drainage ditch for Dad, I had to go and talk to him while he was digging. When we were done talking he picked me up and gave me a piggy back ride into the house. I was 17 and he was not scrawny by any means.
I miss you so badly my big little brother. See you some day soon.
Well, I finally braved up and went out to the shed after Eric's box of Alaska pictures this past weekend. I'd like to think I did it in honor of your birthday. In any event, it made me smile to see the two of you again with your other Alaskan friends.
I know you are both still here in spirit watching over us, making sure we're okay. We miss you. That's an understatment...thanks for teaching us all how to live.
Not really a memory, but a neat little addition to Todd's page here. His Birthday just came and went. On his Birthday I was snuggling Wrecks and telling him "Today's your dad's birthday! Today he woulda been 34!!!!!" I was getting him all hyper. Mallori looked up from her dinner in the living room and with the most serious face on the planet said "Mommy, Todd died". Quick to come up with something so she wouldn't be further confused by my abnormal behavior with Wrecks, I said to her "Yes, but he can still hear us!" So I looked up at the ceiling and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODD!!!" Mallori got this HUGE smile on her face, looked up at the ceiling from her chair and yelled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODD. WE LOVE YOUUUUUU!"
She then asked if Todd would be coming over to open presents with us and I told her he would not be, but that he heard our Birthday wishes and that is enough for him. The smile on her face was priceless during this incident.
We really do miss you Todd and we had chocolate and milk in memory of you on your Birthday! hehehe
Love,
your "Girls"
Todd,
I will forever miss you my friend! ( YUCCA! ) Its so hard to believe that you are gone. It seems like yesterday we were both contemplating on leaving Alaska. Me because I was tired of the whole (Alaskan Experience), and you because you had met Kelci!
We started hanging out after getting to know one another at Erics going away party. I will never forget that night! It was Todds first time to ever drive a boat!
Todd, myself, and Brent were hanging out when Dave Lace asked us if we wanted to take his boat for a spin on the river. We could not resist saying no!
So off we went! 15 bumpy miles later we arive at pikes landing! (Sorta) We passed it and had to turn around...idled up to the dock and bumped right back off of it ( we were heading against the current). The engine died and everyone is pointing and laughing at us 3 floating back down the Chena river. We finally get it started again and make another attempt. (WHAM) Back off the dock again, boat dies again. Todd is getting frustrated at trying to navigate in the current. We get it started again and are idling back up the river ( in the right direction this time) and a little girl about 6 years old comes running down the dock and tells Todd to throw her a rope. So he did and we finally made it to the dock. Bless her little heart.
So we go into Pikes, order a round, and swiftly depart with beer in hand. (yes we paid first) Anyway we get going again in the boat and are coming up on the riverboat Discovery ( Huge 3 deck paddlewheeler tourist boat). Its packed with people! So Brent and I decide it would be a great time to MOON the passengers.
We are flying by the Discovery, we drop trowel, and all of a sudden Todd chops the throttle! Oh the horror on mine and Brents faces as we scurry to pull our pants back up! People are hollering and clapping, cameras flashing. Todd just sitting there soaking up the moment and smiling from ear to ear! It was (embareassing) but I would not trade a second of it. We finally arrive back at Daves pad, after rocking a few salmon fisherman nearly out of there boats! What a night! Eric and Ken were ready to send out a search party shortly before we got back. It was a great time!
We also had a blast at Talkeetna, when we went to the bluegrass festival. We passed out the Yucca freely and had people a half mile away hollering (YUCCA!) Not to mention the fun in watching all the drunk hippies!
I sank Dave Laces snowtrac in the Tanana River 2 days before Christmas. It was not done intentionally, but it happened none the less. I spent the next couple of days at Todds house thawing out and getting my senses back together. I think we had pizza and diet pepsi for Christmas Dinner and played a lot of video games. Just 2 guys with no family nearby. Just happy to have each others friendship.
Todd helped me cut the snowtrac out of 6 feet of ice. it took us two and a half days to make a hole big enough to get the machine out. It was about 20 feet deep where I sank it. I swam out of the back of it, just thankful to be alive.
If it were not for Todds help, I would have never gotten it out. I will always be thankful to him, and to everybody else who helped out. ( Thats me kneeling to the right of Todd in one of the pictures here.)
Kelci, I only spoke to you once briefly on the telephone at Todds house. I know that even then he was so excited and looking forward to meeting you. You are all he could talk about. I am so happy that the two of you finally got together!
I wish I could have spent more time with my friend, but am happy that he had others in his life that meant so much. We will miss him dearly!
When Eric had surgery on his knee he lived in a dry cabin (or in other words he had no running water). Eric went hobbling outside one day to find a moose between him and the outhouse. He had to call for Todd and his dogs to chase the moose away so he could safely make it to his destination. It worked, and for that Eric was grateful.
Our first trip to the snow in December. You said Mal needs a sled and I told you we didn't have one. Off to Kmart we went. Got her a cool bright green sled, a hat, some cool mittens, and me a cool hat. Went up to the Tehachapi park somewhere up in the hills. Mal wasn't falling for the whole sled thing, but you talked her into pushing you around and when you made it to the bottom with only minor injuries, she flopped down on her belly and went sledding down the little hill to you. I remember standing there watching you wipe her off and help her back up the hill and it was very peaceful. You two were a great pair and she loved you very much. I also remember you hitting dirt some way down the hill and got stuck. You started hopping the sled up and down on the snow so you could hit deeper snow again and keep sledding; I thought I was going to pee my pants from laughing so hard! I took a pic of you during this, but I didn't catch the sled airborne.
Mallori misses her Todd. She plans to build a spaceship so she can go and "rescue" you in outerspace. :o) Granted, Mallori and I had what felt like walking pnuemonia after our day in the snow, but your Alaska system held up just fine! No one could feel their toes, but what a hoot we had! Her snowball fights with you are a priceless memory. You would gather these cute little snowballs so as not to mangle her and she would gather these HUGE monstrous sized ones and mangle you and the dogs. You were a good sport Todd! I miss hearing Mal ask everynight, "Where is my Todd?" Then she would see you and squeal with joy! "MY TODD!" Thank you for being so good with her. Thank you for sharing your so very few days on Earth with me while down here. We're going to miss you at Christmas this year.....
Love, Kelci
I just want to leave 4000 memories. I remember Todd calling me from Alaska after he got off of work. He would start cooking dinner while we were talking. I can still hear him talking to his dogs. Once dinner was almoooost ready, I would hear him say, "OHHHHHHHHHHH, yeahhhhhhhhhhh." He would say that over and over and over in anticipation of it being ready and in his belly. It didn't matter if it was a sandwich or some gourmet meal he cooked. He appreciated every single dinner encounter. Miss that.
I remember Todd driving down to California and he would call me at work every half hour or so and ask where he was. I remember one of the towns being named "Weed", which cracked me up to even say it. Marla and I sat in my cubicle and looked up where he was on the map and how far away he was from being here with us. Thanks Marla! I was sooooooooo anxious for him to arrive safely. I remember him pulling into my driveway in the evening when he finally hit town. I wanted to pass out from sheer joy! He and the dogs came barreling out of his truck and we hugged for 1/2 hour it felt like. He was FINALLY here safely from his adventure from Alaska to Cali. I miss the living tar outta him. Miss hearing his voice everyday. Miss being able to contact him whenever I want. I miss being able to touch him
Eric came home from work one night and said, "I didn't eat my lunch today because Todd took me to Jack-in-the-Box." He started laughing and shared that it had been really windy that day and when they went to get in Todd's truck they both opened the doors at the same time and WHOOOSH...all Todd's trash, paperwork, and who knows what else flew out. Todd with his trademark smile and good humor said, "Hope there wasn't anything important in there!" He got in the truck without thinking about it another second and went to lunch. Having lunch was by far more important than scattered paperwork.
"Todd owes me a shirt." Eric said with a smile as we were looking through stacks and stacks of 4x4 pictures. He explained that he had to use his favorite shirt to stop the bleeding when Todd got hit in the face with the tow strap buckle that they were using to try to tow a stuck truck out of the mud. They had to drive Todd 20 or 30 miles to the nearest EMT shack where they then raced him to the hospital another great distance away. I was in awe of the story amazed that they could make light of it and they did. When I met Todd he joked about owing Eric a shirt without being prompted by Eric. They were such good friends and shared so many fun memories from Alaska, most of them involving trucks, mud, rafting, and hanging out.
Todd was one of those people that would help anyone. He was always willing to help me with any project I had. All I had to do was mention I sunk my snowmachine in a river and he was already coming up with ideas and ways to get it out of the Chena River. Don't know if I would have been able to get it done without him.
Todd was also one of the few guys I could count on at work. Many nights I can remember looking across an engine outside at -50f as the 13th hour dragged on with him still smiling and having something sarcastic to say to lighten the mood. Many early mornings at Dennys after a long night shift spooling down were spent together.
Todd you will be forever missed. I had looked forward to one day working with you again. I'm very happy I had the chance to be your friend and coworker.
Tyler
