Sean Casey's Tribute (Brian's vigil)

WHAT I SAW OF YOU (Brian's family) IN BRIAN
As the youngest kid in our family, Brian learned a lot from all of us. He listened, saw, and incorporated values into his life from each of us as he developed his worldview and grew into the person he became. I have a word to tell you and my family about your impact on Brian and what I will always keep as precious and invaluable about his life.

Patrick: EMPATHY.
Patrick, I see in Brian your patience, sensitivity, and careful attention to people, animals, and the natural world we inhabit and share. Be proud that as a big brother you helped nurture and foster the respect in Brian that ultimately became an advocacy and a hallmark of Brian’s life.

Colleen: SEEKER
Colleen, I see in Brian your thirst for knowledge as you seek the meaning of your life’s many, varied experiences. Like you, he developed extensive depth and breadth of knowledge in the pursuit of adventure, betterment, and growth. Be proud that your influence stretched him as a person so much.

Mom: GOODNESS
Mom, I see an innate drive towards goodness that you instilled in Brian. I have an understanding and faith in my brother that the good was what he wanted, strove for, and fought for in his life. I have lots of memories, traditions, and hysterical pictures to prove it. Mom, I can’t say anything truer to you than this: you modeled, developed, and supported the good, the spiritual, and the philosophical in Brian.

Dad: GUSTO
My Dad was a prominent figure and influence in our lives. I see so clearly in Brian my Dad’s capacity for exploring all that life has to offer, and for truly squeezing as much out of his time on earth as possible. Thank you Dad, and thank you Brian: you both exemplified this.


WHAT I LEARNED FROM BRIAN
For much of my life I saw my role as Brian’s big brother as teacher. I taught him how to ride bikes like a wild banshee, play storm the castle on the playscape with Mom’s overripe tomatoes as our medieval weapons, and how to play tennis well enough to run me and my friends all over the court. But now I consider what I have learned from my younger brother, Brian.

1. Card Games: ALL IN. Brian lived his life all in, and he did not let many opportunities pass him by. His approach to life left nothing on the table.

2. Treacherous terrain and fearsome creatures: RISK AND REWARD. Brian lived his life navigating gator-infested swamps, runaway bumper golf carts, and crazy cross country trips for Octoberfest, St. Patty’s Day, Summerfest, you name it. To him, the risks of life were down payments for the rewards, and he sought and found many rewards.

3. Testosterone Weekend: BE PRESENT. THE MOMENT MATTERS. Brian was a master of the art of keeping traditions, both bona fide like birthdays, and completely made up, like our very own Casey/Malleis Octoberfest camping on the shores of Lake Michigan with 30 pounds of sausage, 5 foot breakers, and polar bear swims. Life is a series of moments, and I learned from Brian to be fully present for as many as I can, because as I look back, they are what matter and they are a key part of what defines our precious time on this earth.