Heavy Hearts

Many of us here in Summit County have heavy hearts.  Our community lost an incredible person on Tuesday.  He was only 50 years old and died hiking in Aspen with one of  his sons.  I was working the day shift in the office and my good friend called to give me the bad news.  She was crying and I was not understanding her and when she told me who had died I was in shock.  I hung up the phone and just stared at it. 
When a friend dies you don't believe it at first and in my mind I kept thinking maybe it just isn't true.  They must have made a terrible mistake and word got out wrong.  Obviously, that was not the case.   I called Jack who was skiing in Beaver Creek and he answered.  He was already in the car driving home and when I told him the terrible news he just broke down and couldn't talk. 
All I could think about for the rest of the day was his family.  His wife and 2 sons, one who has gone to school with Hannah since they started. 
I picked up the girls from the bus stop and Hannah asked me what was wrong.  I said nothing.  I said I was tired.  I didn't want to say anything in the car.  We got home and Jack was not home yet.  We did homework and I started cooking dinner.  Jack came in after awhile and he came up to me and we just hugged and cried.  Jordan came up to us and we all hugged.  Hannah came down, from upstairs and there we stood, in our kitchen, in a big family group hug.  It was an incredibly sad moment. 
R.I.P. Leif.  You will be missed.