Celebrating Scotty

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of my late brother Scott.

I find myself with a surge of excitement, with something I can’t wait to share with him. Or reflecting with regret or warm nostalgia as I turn over the memories. Or falling out of conversation when something someone says reminds me.

My grief, like my love, will travel with me so long as I breathe.

Scott died unexpectedly last year at age 43, the day after Father’s Day. He is survived by his wife, his mom and step-dad, three brothers, and three children. We worked quickly to throw Scott, and his many circles of friends, a celebration worthy of his life — on what would have been his 44th birthday.

While many things remain unfinished – I still have pictures to hang, photos to scan, and a bag of clothes that smell of Scott which I can’t bring myself to open – the video of his Celebration of Life is now complete.

I worked with local videographer Justin Self who did a phenomenal job capturing the energy of the day and producing a video we will treasure for the rest of our lives.

This was a difficult project, but worth every bit of energy that was poured into it. With profound gratitude to everyone who was there, who wanted to be there, who helped make it happen, and who loved Scott, I am proud to share:

• Celebrating Scotty (YouTube and Internet Archive) by Justin Self

You can find photography from the event here:

• Celebrating Scotty (Google Photos and Nextcloud) by Norah Burrows

We miss you, Scotty.