Drew Spierling: Another Underage Alcohol Overdose Death

(Update February 9, 2005:  Drinking-age friend who supplied the vodka is facing criminal charges-- scroll down)

Drew Spierling, 20, chugged vodka and died the morning of October 23, 2004.  At the time of death, his BAC was 0.22.

My condolences to his family.

Alcohol death may lead to charges--Wednesday, December 15, [email protected] 388-7784

Police said this morning they plan to seek criminal charges in the death of a former Western Michigan University student found dead in October at his Sutherland Avenue home.  The charges would come on the heels of an autopsy report released this week that indicates 20-year-old Drew Spierling died from alcohol poisoning on the morning of Oct. 23.

Spierling was found unresponsive in his bedroom that morning by a roommate, police have said. Toxicology results released with the autopsy show that Spierling's blood-alcohol level was 0.22, more than double the legal limit for driving.  Spierling's blood-alcohol level had probably been much higher than the amount measured in the autopsy, officials said.

"His maximum blood-ethanol concentration was likely higher than the measured postmortem concentration," officials from Sparrow Hospital in Lansing said in the autopsy report. Sgt. Scott Merlo of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said authorities plan to seek a charge against a man who they believe provided alcohol to Spierling the night of his death.

Merlo declined to release the man's name pending a review of the case by the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor's Office and an arraignment.  Merlo said investigators will ask the prosecutor's office to charge the man with furnishing alcoholic liquor to a minor, causing death. The felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, he said.

Sparrow officials said in the autopsy document that reports from the Department of Public Safety indicated that Spierling and several friends were drinking from a bottle of vodka the night of his death and that Spierling reportedly drank half of the bottle "over a several-second period and collapsed a short time thereafter."

Spierling was then taken back to his home in the 1300 block of Sutherland and placed in bed by a roommate, the report says. At about 6:30 a.m. Oct. 23, the roommate found Spierling unresponsive. Spierling was pronounced dead at the scene by rescue workers who arrived about a half an hour later, police said.

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In all cases, my deepest condolences to family and friends.

Underage Alcohol Deaths 2004
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2005
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2006

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system. The victim may experience the following:

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
• No response to pinching the skin
• Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
• Seizures
• Slowed breathing  (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness

Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention

Alcohol Poisoning Cannot Be Reversed By:

• Drinking black coffee
• Taking a cold bath or shower
• Walking it off

The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.

These Children Died of Alcohol Overdose, So Their Parents Started Foundations:

Taylor Webster's memorial foundation.  Taylor died of alcohol  poisoning at age 19-- Now his family and friends are working  to get the message out, telling their stories and providing  information on alcohol poisoning and the signs and symtoms  of alcohol poisoning in hopes that lives will be saved.

Bradley McCue's memorial foundation.  On November 5, 1998  Bradley turned 21. . He celebrated  his birthday in a way that has become increasingly popular, drinking "his  age in shots". That amount of alcohol was lethal and he died  that night of alcohol poisoning.

Samantha Spady's memorial foundation. A 19-year old student at Colorado State University, Spady died of alcohol poisoning on September 5, 2004, "an unintentional tragedy."  The Spadys say the SAM [Student Alcohol Management] Spady Foundation will develop peer-to-peer counseling and other services meant to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse.

Gordie Bailey's memorial foundation Mission: to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing. 

Kimberly Ostien's memorial foundation: "With binge drinking on the rise, we feel it necessary to get the message out on the danger of alcohol, especially excessive alcohol consumed in a short period of time.  Students are educated on drugs and alcohol but they will continue to experiment no matter what.  We want to educate on what to do when a friend falls down or passes out from drinking.  Often we want to put that person to bed to sleep it off and that is when the trouble can begin."  The card lists the information, above.

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Was this a binge or a dare?  Is this chugging behavior an outgrowth of the "beer bong"?
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'I wanted to take him to the hospital'   February 09, 2005

It was a Friday night in October, and Mark Hwang Bauman went out with friends.

The group pooled their money and Bauman bought a fifth of vodka and a two-liter Diet Coke. Everyone was of legal drinking age except for 20-year-old Drew Spierling, Bauman said.

They drove to a party where Spierling grabbed the bottle of vodka and quickly drank about half.  "I tried to take it away from him," said Bauman, 25.  Spierling soon became sick and passed out.

"I wanted to take him to the hospital," Bauman said. "I picked him up and put him over my shoulders."

But Bauman said Spierling's roommate convinced him Spierling would be OK at home.

The next morning, Oct. 23, Spierling was found dead in a bedroom in his Sutherland Avenue house in Kalamazoo. He died of alcohol poisoning, according to the autopsy report.

On Tuesday, Bauman was ordered to stand trial in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court on a felony charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor causing death.

District Judge Anne Blatchford found probable cause to try Bauman in Spierling's death after hearing testimony from Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Officer Craig Johnson, who interviewed Bauman. Johnson was the only person to testify at the preliminary examination.

If convicted, Bauman could face up to 10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. He is free on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. No trial date has been set.

Bauman talked to a Kalamazoo Gazette reporter about the death after Tuesday's hearing.   "We were really good friends," Bauman said in a hallway outside the courtroom.   "Last summer we lived together. He was like my brother," Bauman said. "I loved that kid."

Bauman said he met Spierling three years ago through a friend. The two often went out on weekends, he said, but they never drank as much as they did the night Spierling died.

Linda and Will Spierling sat in the back of the courtroom trying to make sense of what happened to their oldest son. The couple from Milford, a Detroit suburb, have four other children.

Their oldest son was attending Western Michigan University. Last fall, he took a semester off following his sophomore year because of a lack of funds. He was working full time at Arvco Container Corp. in Kalamazoo in hopes of saving enough money to resume classes.

The Spierlings said they knew their son had experimented with alcohol, but not to a level that would endanger his life.   "We didn't know he drank to the point of passing out," Linda Spierling said.  Their son got a ticket for having an open container of alcohol while on spring break in Texas. He called to tell his parents what had happened.

"I didn't give that a lot (of thought). He was down on spring break," Linda Spierling said. "It was his first trip away from home and away from parents."  She didn't get too worried when he chose WMU, even after friends of the family said it had a reputation for being a party school.  "I didn't really give it that much thought because I think it's a problem on every campus," she said. "It's a problem within society."

Her son was a "responsible young man," she said. "He was working full time."

The Spierlings expressed mixed feelings about whether Bauman should be convicted of a felony for furnishing alcohol to their son.  "I think that he is probably suffering quite a bit because this was his friend," Will Spierling said. "But I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished in some way."

That punishment could be community service or requiring Bauman to talk to other young adults about the dangers of alcohol and the need to get help when someone passes out from consuming too much.

"I'm not sure where I stand on it," Linda Spierling said. "I'm trying to figure (this) out. So many lives have already been so up-ended by this."

[email protected] 388-8557

Comments

[Sarah]

Is it not the fault of the adult for making poor decisions? 20 years old is legally the age of an adult, & at that age he should've been able to know the effects of drinking too much. Many people buy for underage kids all over. This guy was only one year underage & made a bad decision. But the key factor is that HE made the decision to drink so much. The man that bought it for him didn't sit there & poor it down his throat, so why should he go to jail?

[Will Spierling]

In response to Sara (December 19, 2004)

Yes, Drew did make the decision to drink a half of bottle of vodka, (a very poor decision). The key factor is that the alcohol was bought & supplied to a minor. (a crime) Had the alcohol not been purchased for him, he couldn't have drunk it. Only one year or one day under the drinking age is still under the drinking age. If there is NO punishment for buying for someone under the drinking age, (especially when death occurs) why have a drinking age at all.
I'm not sure that Mark going to jail for this would serve any purpose at all. I do feel he needs to be punished for this crime, whether it be, lots of community service or a very large fine.

[Jane Moore]

The dictionary defintion of responsible is answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power or control. The minute Mark bought liquor for Drew he became responsible for his life. Drew made a bad decision by drinking the alcohol and he suffered the consequences. Not only did Drew make a poor choice in his actions of drinking but obviously a poor choice in his friends. Why didn't they take him to the hospital? My guess is they didn't want to get in trouble for buying alcohol for an underage person. The fact that they talked of going to the hospital shows they knew he was in bad shape right away. This is where the difference comes in to whether Mark should be accountable and pay for a crime. He had power of control and chose to ignore it. Ignorance does not make you innocent. He should be found guilty and serve time.

[Anthony Armstrong]

It's not my fault I murdered someone because I was given the gun by someone else. It's not my fault I shot someone because I didn't make the gun. Ultimately we are responsible for our own actions, and the actions we take are of our own desire. I saw that the year prior to this tragic incident with drinking that Drew received a ticket for underage drinking while on spring break. It sounds like the parents need to be blamed as well because that was the first warning sign. If you are tracing the blame line from Drew to the person who bought him alcohol as the responsible party. Why not go one step farther to the parents who knew of their son's drinking problem? He was not even going to college, but rather it appears he was just living in a college town partying. Maybe if he had been living closer to home his parents could monitor him because remember the consensus you made was that he was still not old enough to drink, and restrictions would have been in place. If I had a child, and they dropped out of school, got an mip, and planned on just living in a college town I would be concerned. The lives of two young men are going to be destroyed by possibly the fact that poor parenting was involved. There were definite warning signs, but beside that do laws on drinking ages really have an effect? For example, do countries with lower drinking age limits see the binge drinking we see here. That seems to be what you should all really be asking here. Why does this problem exist in our society and not others. How can we prevent the next Drew Spierling, and when do you take responsibility for our own actions? That's the key point this article fails to realize. In society people need to learn their limits and the laws. Tragic as it maybe Drew didn't know either. When you commit a crime it is only the fault of one person. Two crimes were committed that night. One, supplying alcohol to a minor, and two underage drinking. Both crimes were committed to satisfy the desires of one individual. Who is the criminal here?

[Lauren Huey]

I knew Drew very personally. I was his girlfriend at the time of his death so I also have very strong feelings towards this situation. Although it was his choice to drink the amount he did, something could've been done to prevent anything from happening. A phone call could have been made and this all could have been avoided. I'm not saying Bauman should have to go to prison for just wanting to have a night out with the guys, but I think everyone involved in those actions that night, from Bauman to his roomate, should all be punished in some way for not taking any action. When someone falls over after consuming that much alcohol it shouldn't just be brushed off. I know the worst punishment these guys will ever have to do with is knowing they could've prevented it, but that still doesn't give any justice to his family. As for anyone who thinks the parents need to be blamed...the parents are not at fault here. Drew was a responsible person...I spent a lot of time with him and have known him for a long time. He wanted to have a night out, but he let it get out of hand. Nobody is completely responsible for what happened, but the biggest fault is when action should have been taken and it wasn't. That's what needs to be taken into account. (In loving defense of Drew William Spierling...you'll always be in my heart.)

[some one who cares]

All this seems to be is a big blame game. Bottom line is that Drew drank it. People can say that if he lived closer to home parents could have watched more but all that leads to is pushing your kids to do it more. If Mark haden't bought it for him someone else would have. Drew has drank many times before this and recived alchol from many other people. He would have gotten it some how. What about the 2 beers he had before he drank the vodka? Do you think that could have made a difference? Did Mark buy those? NO Should we go find that person and punish them also? What do you think Drew would have wanted? Drew loved Mark and would never blame him for this. Don't you think that we've all been punished enough? Losing drew was hard enough and instead of playing a big blame game everyone one involved needs to relize there actions and move on. Drew will always be loved and remembered and I think that is the important thing here, not who is to blame!

[Lauren Huey]

I have to speak out once again. Drew wasn't stupid about how he drank...he wasn't stupid in any way. He was sick at the time, and actually could be reason of why he did die. If what we think he had is true, your not allowed to drink alcohol if you have it because it will cause your heart to shrink and kill you. So how could it possibly be stupidity when the doctor he went to said he was fine? People who didn't know Drew, and trust me, there were few, need to quit commenting, because you don't know anything. (Still defending Drew, now and always. Love you.)

[jane moore]

Drew would have turned 21 on October 8th. He is in family thoughts everyday. We miss him and will always be saddened by his departure. Drew had a great sense of humor. If anyone has any stories they would like to share in his memory please do. Aunt Jane

[Jenn Krieger]

I knew Drew since the start of high school. We went back a long way! I have countless memories of Drew! I can't help but think about Drew around this time of year. 2 years ago Drew saved my life. He drove me to the hospital when I was suffering from severe chest pains, sat with me through-out all the tests I had to under-go, and waited and waited and calmed me down. My pains turned out to be a blood clot in my lung. I will NEVER forget him for being there. Drew and I shared a real bond he was like another brother to me. He talked me to transfering to WMU, he knew what he was doing in life and always had a way to make things a lot of fun. Anytime I had a problem I could just call up drew and he would be there to talk. I think about him almost everyday, I know I am not the only one. He left a lot of love in everyone's hearts. Drew and I had a funny inside joke about orange pop, and I can't help but grin when I drink it, knowing that drew is looking down laughing at me!! -Jenn
My thoughts and prayers are with Drew's family in the upcoming season!

[Katie Smith]

Well, Drew was my cousin...we were never that close because he was older then me, but our familes are very close, mostly i think because they are so funny.. Their family lives about 4 hrs away so we dont get to see eachother as often as we'd all like, but when we do its always a good time, and i always looked forward to seeing drew because he was just so cool..we often talked on aol, he always told me about college life, it sounded really cool and i always told him i couldnt wait to leave this little town, but he always told me to slow down a little and enjoy highschool, and hes right, im soon to graduate in the near year...its flown right by...i wish he was here to talk to...its always hard during the holidays because all the family is together, but drew is not there..but our family is constantly talking about him as if he were still here, and i think that is what keeps us goin, and keeps his spirit alive...it makes me very sad to know that me and drew never had the chance to be that close but, he is constantly in my mind, and will forever be in my heart...i will never forget his weird humor....he was a great person who influenced many people...love ya drew, miss you - katie

[Linda Spierling]

Thank you to all who have posted comments and continue to work through Drew's death and the loss we have all suffered. Drew was such a wonderful son and an integral part of our daily life that we think of him daily and also think about all of his friends that we have not seen lately. We want you all to know we think of you often and hope you are holding on to good memories and times you shared with Drew. We wish you all the best and want you to know that you will continue to be in our hearts and prayers - Drew, WE LOVE AND MISS YOU - MOM

[Sara L]

Last week my 15 year old son was having a siezure when I got home. He had been drinking on the school bus. 16 oz vodka, tequila mixture that another kid brought to school. He ended up in an ambulance and 3 days in the hospital. BAC .28 3 hours later, when he was finally stabilized in ER. Still .19 the next day! I have been blamed by family members . . . I am sure I could have done some things differently. No parent is anywhere near perfect. I could have educated more, I could have noticed the warning signs, but with teenagers lives the signs could mean anything. I didn't ask him the right questions. Now, he has court costs, probation, alternative school, 5 wks of alcohol rehab and the memory of his mother crying for 2 days wondering if her son would live then because he will never be a 15 year old again. No, he won't. All because of a poor choice he made. He was a lucky one because he lived to pay for his mistake, but young people need to be educated about the dangers of binge drinking.

[Some who cares also]

This comment is addressed to Anthony Armstrong who obviously doesn't even know what he is talking about. The parents of Drew Spierling had no idea that he had a ticket for drinking. I know this because he had a close friend call in and act like his mom. Second, Drew was out of college for a couple of months. He had plans to attend college next semester, and he just got a part time job that paid good money. Thirdly, he didn't drop out of college, he had too poor of grades, and he realized that he needed to to turn his life around, which he showed he did when he got a good job and signed up for college for his next semester. Though I do not think the person who bought the alcohol should be punished to the extent of a hefty fine as much as some community service. Also, the last time I checked, twenty years old is a little old to be living with your mom, and by that age it is time to start experiencing life on your own. So, I guess what I am trying to say is, if you don't know what your talking about, please, DON'T TALK!.

[Lauren Huey]

I think all of us trying to make sense of everything isn't getting anything accomplished. If you knew Drew, like I did, you miss him like crazy regardless of who did what. Drew meant that absolute world to me, and from what I heard I was everything to him. When you lose someone like that, whether it is your boyfriend, brother, son, or friend, I don't think you ever feel completely whole again, even if the story did get straightened out, you never have that person again, and that's what we all really want anyway. We all wish Drew were here right now. (I love you Drew, it's so hard being happy without you here. Happy Easter Drew.)

[someone who cares]

today is the third year since Drew has been gone and i would just like to say how much i love him and miss him and how everyone who knows drew has never been the same. and i would jsut love to let you everyone who has taken the time to comment about the situation and i would like to send u my greatest sympothy. Drew loved as all and missed us all. So drew we love u and miss u so much. xoxo

Love someone who cares

[Lauren Huey]

It's September again and all I can think about is how hard this part of the year is. I can't believe it's been almost 4 years and I miss Drew just as much as I did had he left yesterday. So for anyone else who finds themselves thinking about and missing Drew more at this time of year, you're not alone. I miss you and love you Drew. I wish you were still here.

[Lauren Huey]

Today would have been Drew's 24th birthday. So in deeply hoping there is some way he can still hear us...happy birthday Drew. I still remember what it was like 4 years ago today. I love you and miss you more and more each day.

[mom]

DREW-

WE MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!! YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN 24 YEARS OLD ON 10/08/08 AND I KNOW I WOULD STILL BE AS PROUD OF YOU NOW AS I WAS 4 YEARS AGO. WE STILL SEE LAUREN AND TALK TO HER - WHAT A BEAUTIFUL REFLECTION OF THE PERSON YOU WERE IN PICKING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL GIRL - BOTH INSIDE AND OUT - WE LOVE HER DEARLY --- SHE MISSES YOU SO MUCH. RYAN IS A DAILY REMINDER OF YOU - SO MANY SIMILARITIES. YOUR WHOLE FAMILY MISSES YOU.
UNTIL WE ARE TOGETHER.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW

LOVE MOM AND YOUR FAMILY

[someone who has been there]

To all who read this I want to say what a wonderful family Drew has....I never got the chance to meet him. But what a person he was, I say that because I know is family. They miss him greatly and speak of him daily. Drew know that you loved and missed deeply.

[Jessica A.]

I met Drew my first day of WMU. Drew and I clicked immediately and became very good friends. I was Drew's roommate at the time of his death, although I was home for the weekend I lived with him daily and know the ins and outs of the situation. Drew went above and beyond when it came to helping his friends and strangers. Drew was very responsible. In fact, Drew was not just living in a college town, he needed to take a semester off to work and save money. He had every intention to continue his collegiate career. He was so busy balancing work and building his relationship with Lauren, this was his FIRST night out in a very very long time.

"Drew wasn't stupid about how he drank...he wasn't stupid in any way. He was sick at the time, and actually could be reason of why he did die."- Lauren

Lauren, you are right. I know something was not right months leading up to this. He was tested repeatedly for normal student illnesses (ie Mono and Tonsilious)-they would just send him home without looking further. I'm not blaming anyone! In fact, I don't think it is anyone's fault. I just know in my gut there is more to the story reported.

It angers me that people would say negative things about him and his family. Blaming people doesn't solve anything. Every situation is different and you never know if you will end up in dealing with tragic events.

I cannot explain how wonderful he was and how he has impacted my life in a positive way FOREVER. Everyone who knew him only had great things to say! I try to explain it those who are new to my life and I can't. There is not a day that goes by I don't think of him! I cope by remembering him through stories. Just like Jenn, we all had inside jokes with him... Hotdogs, monkeys and darts will always always make me smile! :)

I could go on forever... I am so happy I found this blog! I wish I would have known this sooner.

Drew, I miss you but I know that you looking down on all of us! <3

[Lauren Huey]

I miss you Drew.

[Katie Smith]

happy birthday :] you would have been 25 today!! i can hardly believe it has been that long..your sister is missing you more then ever right now,her life is similar to 4 years ago, and its still just as hard..and the little ones are so grown up and beautiful you would be tryin to fight the guys off lol :) ryan is doing good, everyone always says how you guys are so alike, and now i can really see it, its crazy he is the same age as you were when you left us..you are a constant thought in all of our thoughts & hearts we miss you and love you very much. xoxo

[Katie Smith]

5 years ago*...i have never been very good at math..

[Lauren Huey]

5 years tomorrow. I find myself with little to say that I haven't already said. Left with no choice I've accepted you're no longer with us but even by accepting that the feelings and thoughts I have for you have not faded and I wouldn't want them to. The memories of you remind me of what it feels like to be truly happy; something I can say I haven't felt since you left us. I still see your family. They're doing about as good as they can without you around. I love them dearly and am so thankful to have them in my life. I'll always be here for them...I know you would want that. I miss you and love you so much. Until next time...

[:)]

I never got to meet Drew. I became friends with Brianna shorty after. I just wanna say that he has made a huge impact on our whole group of friends and the choices we make everyday. Through his tragedy we have learned a lot. Thanks for that Drew.

[Brianna Spierling]

Wow 5 years already and i miss you this year more than ever. Its my senior year and i just wish you could be here.you would be 25 and i am 17 its crazy to think.There is so much that i wanna tell you i wish i could just call you and talk to you and find out how everything is going.I just wanna thank you for everything that you everything that you ever did for me and thank you for all the lessons you have taught me i love you more than anything and miss you dearly.

[Jenn Krieger]

Wow! I had forgotten about this blog. I am so glad I found it again. I can't believe it has been 5 years since drew left us. So much has changed, it seems like just yesterday.I found myself thinking about drew the other day. I couldn't help but wonder what he would be like today and how amused he would have been about the things that have happened in some of our lives. I can still hear his unmistakeable laugh....miss ya still drewsifer!

<3-Jenn

[Brianna Spierling]

We love you and miss!

[Mike Makowski]

I use to know Drew through middle school and high school, we were part of the few that went to MHS after Oak Valley.

I never was able to at the time get the full information on what happened. It was nice to actually find an article about him. I still remember my buddy sending me an AOL instant message letting me know Drew passed, unforntunitly I was too far away to drive down for any services. It also brought a shock to me since I would also drink in excess. This story could very well be about many of us that have attented any university.

Drew, you were a good guy.

[Lauren Huey]

I spoke with Kari yesterday and immediately found myself crying as we spoke...thinking of all the ways life would be different. Chasing each others kids around. I know it seems odd for some to think, but if anyone saw us together they knew we would last just like I knew it. Six years have gone by and I still feel like it was yesterday that I heard the news. I still cry and lose my breath thinking about everything that might have been. I'm so angry that you aren't here and that a part of me stays so very empty no matter what I try. I know you would want me to be happy Drew and knowing that is why I try, it's just hard with my other half gone. I hope if there is any way you know this is being wrote you are at least content with me trying. I hope to some day make you happy and not just content. I love you as much today as I did then, always and forever.

[Lauren Huey]

I posted something earlier but it didn't show...''I'm lost...There are so many things changing in my life that flat out scare the shit out of me...and all I can think of is how I wouldn't be so scared right now...
If you were still here. I know you and I would be together...I just know that and everyone who ever saw you and I together knows that. I don't know what's worse...knowing I had that or knowing that I'm petrified to ever find that again. There has not been a day that you haven't been on my mind. I love you so much...still to this day...I just don't know how to let go ...

[Will Spierling]

Drew, miss you more every day.
Dad

[mom]

still missing you....

[Dad]

Merry Christmas Drew! Love you.
Dad

[Lori]

Reflecting today on days gone by. Missing you and other family members so so much. I was always so proud of you Drew, you were a sweet soul and my heart aches for what might have been. I will always treasure all of my memories of you and pray that we will see each other again. Thank you for your message four years ago today. It helped to know you had him! Love You Always, Aunt Lori xoxoxo