Al was not a large man but his presence absolutely filled up any room he was in. (As did his voice - the man had a way with words unlike anyone else I've ever known). If we all lived with the passion for life that Al had, the world would be a much better place. His love for his family, friends and country was endless and he lived more in his 65 years than most would in 10 lifetimes. I am truly honored to call him my father in law.
I had decided late last year to call off my 365 Summits idea. At the time, Al was getting ready to start chemo and I felt that the idea was too close to home, too personal. I worried about constantly reminding him about cancer. Lindsay insisted that he would like the idea, so I decided to ask him what he thought. In classic Al fashion, he loved the idea. From that day on, he was my biggest supporter, always asking me about my hikes and requesting pictures and stories. One of Al's biggest loves were the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina, so this particular endeavor was right up his alley. The rest of my summits are dedicated to his memory. I'll end this blog with a tweet I just found that he wrote several years ago. It's classic Al in 160 characters or less.
"Reflect on what you DO Have & give thanks. Focus on your blessings, skills & how they may be used to help others. You'll be richer in many ways."
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