Caleb R. Ott
As a brother, Caleb was more than anyone could imagine. As 4 brothers we have always thought of ourselves as one. We were and are a group, loyal, bonded by love, never to be torn apart. We are passionate about each other. Every part of our group of brothers was and is an essential part and needed by the others. There are four of us, each one bringing something special to our unique and beautiful relationship. Caleb brought us life. He was our joy and laughter. He was our heart. The youngest kid is always different, and he was different in so many beautiful ways. When Matt was not in any mood for fun, Caleb could always bring a smile out of him. He was like that with us all. He would not stop until he had his way and we joined him in laughter. It would tick me off sometimes that I would give into him and break a smile but he just had that way about him. You could get mad at him but you could never stay mad for very long. Like the time at soccer practice when I was relieving myself in the porta potty. All of the sudden there was a loud bang and the porta potty shook. I came out with wet pants only to find a soccer ball rolling away from the jon. Everyone was chuckling, even the other coaches, but I was really ticked off. The smirk on his face said it all. It was Caleb. As I made the team do forward rolls in the freshly cut grass with their shirts off I could not help but chuckle to myself. You could not stay mad at Caleb for long he was just to loving, he was just too joyful. He loved life, he loved having fun and he loved us.
The truth is I miss him already. He was such a beautiful person. He had so many characteristics to admire, like the comedian that seemed to reside in him. But there are two that really stick out to me.
Caleb was fearless. He lived a big life. He was not afraid to try a new trick on his bike, or on the slopes. In fact I never saw him back down because of fear. He was brave when it came to life. When we learned of my mom’s condition he broke down and I was really worried about him. But in a day or two he bounced back with more fight than I could have ever imagined.
We were at a winter retreat church camp. I had just come out of a meeting to find the majority of the guys in our group hanging out quietly by a picnic table. I could tell when I got there they were pretty fried up at a group of arrogant guys who were pelting innocent and unsuspecting kids with ice balls as they walked down a path. It didn’t take long for Caleb and Jordan to voice their objection to these guys. Our group merged with theirs and I quickly thought I should get things in control, so I played the leader card. Telling these guys to nock it off. One of them refused to shut up. And before I new it Jordan was wrestling someone and Caleb who was standing next to me. Picked out the biggest kid in the group who happened to be about 6’4” and 200 lbs, charged him, tucked his shoulder into the guy lifted him and speared him into the ground.
Caleb was sensitive. He had a huge heart. He loved big. Many of you know this because you have felt his love. He cared so much about the people around him. In our home during the last few months you would find him rubbing my mom’s hands, sitting on the couch with her. He wasn’t afraid to say I love you; he was liberal with his hugs. He valued spending time with the people he cared about. When I was around him I just felt loved. He had such a big heart. It was easily wounded but it was quick to forgive. It was unselfish, he would give anything he had expecting nothing in return. The Bible says that if you have faith that can move mountains but don’t have love, you have nothing and Caleb had a lot, because he knew how to love in a big way.
I am going to miss him so much. I am going to miss his laugh; I am going to miss being loved by him. I am going to miss his hugs. I am going to miss watching him with my daughter Taylor. I am going to miss his love of life. I am going to miss his sensitive heart. I am going to miss his stories. I am going to miss just being with him because when I was with him I was a better person.
But here is the hope that helps me catch my breath. Here is the only thing that gets me out of bed some days. My relationship with Caleb is not over. Someday I will see him again. I know where he is and he knows where I am. My relationship will never be over because we are 4 brothers for eternity and we will spend that eternity together in heaven. When I see him again we will feast and we will laugh and we will tell stories and celebrate. When I see him again we will hug and cry tears of joy. It is because of Christ that I will see him again. It is because Caleb believed , Matt, Luke and I believe that we need God, that we need his forgiveness and that forgiveness comes through faith in Christ and what he did for us on the cross and that he rose again. You don’t have to be a part of this kind of church or denomination for that to be something meaningful and real to you. You don’t have to fit into some kind of “Christian” mold. We believe that, it is our faith and by our faith we have eternity together. Our relationship is not over we are still a family of six and we are still four brothers.
Until I see him again. In the midst of all of this overwhelming hurt and pain. We would do better to be more like him, to honor him by how we live. So I am going to try to be more like Caleb. I am going to try to be fearless when I wake up in the morning not wanting to face the day. I am going to be more sensitive in my heart. I am going to try to care more. I am going to try to love life more. I am going to try to love others with the kind of heart he loved others with. And I am going to pray to God to give me the strength to do that and to strengthen my faith in Him because God is good even when we don’t feel it, even when we don’t understand Him, and because by some miracle of heaven, I can hold the hand of Jesus as he holds the hand of Caleb.
As a brother, Caleb was more than anyone could imagine. As 4 brothers we have always thought of ourselves as one. We were and are a group, loyal, bonded by love, never to be torn apart. We are passionate about each other. Every part of our group of brothers was and is an essential part and needed by the others. There are four of us, each one bringing something special to our unique and beautiful relationship. Caleb brought us life. He was our joy and laughter. He was our heart. The youngest kid is always different, and he was different in so many beautiful ways. When Matt was not in any mood for fun, Caleb could always bring a smile out of him. He was like that with us all. He would not stop until he had his way and we joined him in laughter. It would tick me off sometimes that I would give into him and break a smile but he just had that way about him. You could get mad at him but you could never stay mad for very long. Like the time at soccer practice when I was relieving myself in the porta potty. All of the sudden there was a loud bang and the porta potty shook. I came out with wet pants only to find a soccer ball rolling away from the jon. Everyone was chuckling, even the other coaches, but I was really ticked off. The smirk on his face said it all. It was Caleb. As I made the team do forward rolls in the freshly cut grass with their shirts off I could not help but chuckle to myself. You could not stay mad at Caleb for long he was just to loving, he was just too joyful. He loved life, he loved having fun and he loved us.
The truth is I miss him already. He was such a beautiful person. He had so many characteristics to admire, like the comedian that seemed to reside in him. But there are two that really stick out to me.
Caleb was fearless. He lived a big life. He was not afraid to try a new trick on his bike, or on the slopes. In fact I never saw him back down because of fear. He was brave when it came to life. When we learned of my mom’s condition he broke down and I was really worried about him. But in a day or two he bounced back with more fight than I could have ever imagined.
We were at a winter retreat church camp. I had just come out of a meeting to find the majority of the guys in our group hanging out quietly by a picnic table. I could tell when I got there they were pretty fried up at a group of arrogant guys who were pelting innocent and unsuspecting kids with ice balls as they walked down a path. It didn’t take long for Caleb and Jordan to voice their objection to these guys. Our group merged with theirs and I quickly thought I should get things in control, so I played the leader card. Telling these guys to nock it off. One of them refused to shut up. And before I new it Jordan was wrestling someone and Caleb who was standing next to me. Picked out the biggest kid in the group who happened to be about 6’4” and 200 lbs, charged him, tucked his shoulder into the guy lifted him and speared him into the ground.
Caleb was sensitive. He had a huge heart. He loved big. Many of you know this because you have felt his love. He cared so much about the people around him. In our home during the last few months you would find him rubbing my mom’s hands, sitting on the couch with her. He wasn’t afraid to say I love you; he was liberal with his hugs. He valued spending time with the people he cared about. When I was around him I just felt loved. He had such a big heart. It was easily wounded but it was quick to forgive. It was unselfish, he would give anything he had expecting nothing in return. The Bible says that if you have faith that can move mountains but don’t have love, you have nothing and Caleb had a lot, because he knew how to love in a big way.
I am going to miss him so much. I am going to miss his laugh; I am going to miss being loved by him. I am going to miss his hugs. I am going to miss watching him with my daughter Taylor. I am going to miss his love of life. I am going to miss his sensitive heart. I am going to miss his stories. I am going to miss just being with him because when I was with him I was a better person.
But here is the hope that helps me catch my breath. Here is the only thing that gets me out of bed some days. My relationship with Caleb is not over. Someday I will see him again. I know where he is and he knows where I am. My relationship will never be over because we are 4 brothers for eternity and we will spend that eternity together in heaven. When I see him again we will feast and we will laugh and we will tell stories and celebrate. When I see him again we will hug and cry tears of joy. It is because of Christ that I will see him again. It is because Caleb believed , Matt, Luke and I believe that we need God, that we need his forgiveness and that forgiveness comes through faith in Christ and what he did for us on the cross and that he rose again. You don’t have to be a part of this kind of church or denomination for that to be something meaningful and real to you. You don’t have to fit into some kind of “Christian” mold. We believe that, it is our faith and by our faith we have eternity together. Our relationship is not over we are still a family of six and we are still four brothers.
Until I see him again. In the midst of all of this overwhelming hurt and pain. We would do better to be more like him, to honor him by how we live. So I am going to try to be more like Caleb. I am going to try to be fearless when I wake up in the morning not wanting to face the day. I am going to be more sensitive in my heart. I am going to try to care more. I am going to try to love life more. I am going to try to love others with the kind of heart he loved others with. And I am going to pray to God to give me the strength to do that and to strengthen my faith in Him because God is good even when we don’t feel it, even when we don’t understand Him, and because by some miracle of heaven, I can hold the hand of Jesus as he holds the hand of Caleb.
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