Tonight, I was going through my old address book from the early and mid-80's, trying to locate old exchange student friends. Chris's name came up and I googled him. I was so sorry to find this page. My condolences to his family and his friends. While I was an exchange student in the US, Chris was a student at my Danish gymnasium (high school) in Aabenraa in the southern region of Denmark. Actually, I'm having our traditional Christmas lunch with some of his old Danish school friends on next Saturday here in Copenhagen. While traveling the States in '86, I dropped by Sacramento. I hadn't contacted Chris ahead of time but still had a great time with him and his parents before traveling on back to the East Coast. <3 Jesper Kunuk Egede
Guest
14-Jan-2011 16:29
These are wonderful tributes to a remarkable young man who will live in our hearts forever. Erwin Potts
Ann Harriman
28-Sep-2007 04:05
I didn't know Chris as well as some of you did, but I knew him well enough to know that he was - if such a thing actually exists - an "old soul;" he was an unforgettable person. The first picture in Steve's gallery is of Chris and me when he and Steve made a visit to us at Sea Ranch, probably sometime in the mid '80s. It was a visit filled with joy and laughter.
Further, I know as a parent (and now, alas, an elderly one) that we should live out our lives long enough to see our children and even our grandchildren grow and prosper. Death comes inevitably to all of us, but it ought to come in the proper sequence, Young children should not have to mourn the deaths of their parents, young wives should not have to mourn the deaths of their spouses, young people should not have to mourn the deaths of their siblings, and surely parents should not have to mourn the deaths of their children.
My heart goes out to all who loved this remarkable young man and who are suffering unimaginable , unthinkable grief.
Jim's poem is lovely - I envy him his gift for words.
Ann Harriman
Jim Burke
27-Sep-2007 23:57
I'm done in by the photos, each one I'm in so clearly bringing the day and all its joy back in a heart beat. I haven't any photos to post just now, but until then, this poem.
A Psalm of Gratitude
For Christopher
We all leave
But few with so much love
Leading back along the way
To all the others youve held
In your one great heart.
We all love
But few so many
Nor for so long nor so fully
as the days you were ours.
We all learn
But few so much as you taught
With the lessons of your life
By the light of your laughter,
The bright lantern of your smile.
We all live
But few so fully as you
Through whom we found
Not only joy but a larger life,
A greater love than any two hands could ever hold.
In you, Christopher, we found blessings
You made us feel belonged to us alone.
Every day with you was a song your life sang
And we sing you home through the long dark valley
Where you walk not alone but with all
Who loved you to light your way
With the candles of our love,
Your life a story we will tell the rest of ours
Till we see you again and speak with the love you
Taught us to feel for this world, its children, each other
And for you, O Christopher, for you,
Our blessing, our brother.