There's an old proverb that says you can't choose your family. you take what the fates hand you. and like them or not, love them or not understand them or not... ...you cope. Then there's the school of thought that says the family you're born into is simply a starting point. they feed you and clothe you and take care of you until you're ready to go out into the world... ...and find your tribe. [Grey's Anatomy 212]
As crime scene investigators, we meet people on the worst day of their lifes. They've just lost a family member, somebody they loved, often in a horrible way. A piece of their heart, is gone, will never be replaced. The phrase we trying to offer them, "I'm sorry for your loss", as we know now, doesn't offer much.
Warrick Brown was a young boy when his parents passed away, much too young to learn that life can be so tragically short. But I think it taught him how precious life is. And so he lived his life to his fullest, each day as if it was his last day. I was with Warrick on his last day.
All the qualities that defines him, his tenaciousness, his deep sense of loyalty, his courage to risk his life for what he knew was right, all those traits were with him on that last day.
Just before he died, we were all having breakfast together, our team, as friends, as family.And Warricak was, he was... I am going to miss him so much.