A Letter from Heaven
by Barry Adkins

Dear dad,

First I would like to say how much I miss you and I love you

I am sorry about what happened…you have no idea how sorry.

We were just out having a good time…I didn’t think anyone could get hurt.
It seemed so fun…everyone was doing it.

One minute we were drinking and having a good time…and the next minute I was dead.
I want you to know how hard I tried to live…how much I wanted to go back to the beginning of that night and change it all.

I never believed it could ever happen to me.  I knew people who had problems with alcohol…but I wasn’t one of them…I knew better.  I saw other people do it and get away with it so I figured I could to. 

I had so much left to do

My life was just starting.  I was looking forward to coming home and raiding the refrigerator and the pantry.  I was looking forward to many more hunting trips, working on the old yellow truck together, getting married and giving you more grand children.
 
I was looking forward to spoiling Collin and complaining about having to help my sisters all the time.

I will never get to share thanksgiving dinner or Christmas with you again.  No more gifts, no more falling asleep after thanksgiving dinner.
No more giving each other haircuts, no more arguing about who lost what tool!

You have so many pictures of me around the house!

I know what I did caused everyone great sadness.

I know about the walk.  I know what you, Cassandra, Sarah, Ed and Bev plan to do.
I will be with you every step of the way.
I can’t believe how many people are helping you and how anxious they are to help.
Tell them all I said thank you. 
Tell everyone you can about what happened to me.  Tell them how dangerous alcohol abuse can be and how it only takes once for terrible things to happen. 
Tell all the kids that what can happen is not cool…that it can happen to them.

Tell them about the pain it brings to family and friends…tell them so they don’t have to find out the hard way…the way I did.

Something very good will come from this dad, I just wish I was there to share it with you.

I love you and miss you

Your son,

Kevin