I met Vic in April of 2001. He had just gotten back from visiting his brother in France (Vic is from France but had his green card). It was my second weekend back on Active status with the reserves. My Platoon Sergeant was pushing me to get my military license renewed and Vic offered to help. So, Billy Jack (Vic's best friend), Vic and I got a 5 ton truck and the contact (a maintenance pick up) truck and headed to TACOM. On the way back the two of them were picking on me like crazy. It was a blast. A couple of days later I get a phone call from Vic at work (he worked full time at the unit) saying that I needed to come in and pick up my license. When I stopped by at lunch we were laughing and joking around. He asked me if I wanted to get together one night after work. From that point on we were inseparable.
We spent pretty much ever evening together doing something, playing pool, put put golf, you name. I was truly and honestly happy. After being together a few weeks it had gotten to the point where we were able to finish each other�s sentences. It was crazy, I felt like I had known him my whole life. He decided he wanted to teach me French, so I went and bought some language CD�s and anytime we were in the car he�d make me listen to them and correct me when I didn�t say a word right.
My parents absolutely adored him. I mean they�ve liked other guys I�ve dated but as my mom put it she never wanted to call any of them her son. But she felt that way with Vic. We spent every weekend from the 1st weekend in June until the 4th of July at my parent�s house near Traverse City. He loved going up there. He once told me how lucky I was that I had such a great relationship with my parents. Little did he know that it hadn�t always been that way. The second weekend we where up there he decided he wanted to check out my parent�s church. Everyone who meet him instantly liked him. He just had a way of putting people at easy. You could tell by just looking at us how much we loved each other.
Sometime in September he got promoted to Staff Sergeant, which meant he would have to leave the Livonia unit. But we weren�t sure yet where he�d go. He asked me if I would move with him and I said yes, with out hesitation. I told him that it wouldn�t be easy or would it happen right away but I�d do it. That�s when he asked me to marry him.
We found out the middle of November that he was being sent to Saginaw, Mi, which is only a couple hours north of where I was. I was relieved because it meant I�d be able to see him on the weekends I didn�t have reserve duty. We started to plan everything and had decided on a September wedding the following year. Once he moved, we stopped going to church. I don�t know why but it happened.
He went to see his daughter over Christmas and I went to my parents. I don�t remember the reason we decided to spend the holidays apart but we did. He called me on my birthday to wish me a happy birthday and I got to talk to his daughter, Kayla. It�s the first time I�d ever talked to her. He wasn�t trying to keep me from her or her from me. He was just very cautious where she is concerned. Kayla lives with her mother�s father. When Vic and his first wife divorced she got custody of Kayla and then turned around and gave custody of her to her dad (Kayla�s grandfather). She didn�t want anything to do with Kayla but didn�t want Vic to have her either. He had found out the summer before we meet why. Kayla isn�t really his daughter. Her mother lied to him and he believed her. But he loved Kayla too much to tell her that he wasn�t her dad.
I just keep remembering how much he loved me. And I still wonder why he felt he had to commit suicide. I will never know.
