I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world -- Sadako Sasaki

Someone's dream stopped this morning.

Gabrielle gave a pair of those wings to my dear cousin this morning.

And it makes her message even clearer than it already was 4 days ago when I posted her video.

He should have been born around the same time as me. He was born a month after me. He was a special boy. Whether is was the genes, a lack of oxygen, ... we would never know exactly.

But we always knew he was special.

Not only because he sat in a wheelchair.
Not only because he would tell us yes by looking up and no by looking down.
Not only because he could only communicate through a letter board on his wheelchair and by getting our attention honking his little horn.

But above all because he was able to stand up to his parents and tell them he didn't believe in God anymore.
Because he could beat us at board games.
Because he loved football so much he got to go to all his team's games and get a 'special' spot behind the goal.
Because he had parents who did anything for him from rebuilding their entire house, buying a 'special person's' RV, taking him to football matches, Tour de France races...

So many times he must have been jealous of us, of what we were able to do. Despite all the 'special' things he had access to...

He too turned 40 a few weeks ago.

He will not turn 41.

And I am so lucky to have known him. To have been able to share the little bit of life with him that made me realize already as a kid that I was lucky.

His beautiful soul will continue to fly all over the world.
I hope he gets to see all the places he never was able to until now.

Fly JP, fly.