A Brother's Love

Matthew Cubbler

One’s role models in life are often found in the unexpected. The person who is our confidant and hero, or role model, may well be a teacher, parent, sibling, or friend who is appreciated too late. For me, my role model was my brother, Andy, who died too soon, at the age of twentyone. Unexpected? Yes. Andy’s story and my own as it unfolds will tell the tale of two brothers who were each others’ best friend. We had a childhood filled with love, joy, laughter, and sadness. Unfortunately for me, I was so busy being my “brother’s keeper” that I never realized the phenomenal human being my brother, Andy, had become. It took Andy’s death for me to realize the “role model” I had lost. Death stole my chance ever to say thank you while Andy was alive.  This memoir shares the emotions of a brother’s love. Each of my life’s accomplishments has in some way been shaped by my brother’s life and the way he lived it. Born with a cloud over his head, Andy struggled to learn and to fit in. Born with a rainbow in his heart, Andy would love and be loved in a way that I finally came to understand too late. This memoir is my gift of gratitude to my hero and role model. May it inspire those who read it to express their appreciation to those people who have made them into who they are today. In my case, it is my brother, who I loved more than I ever knew. A Brother’s Love is Andy’s story and mine; it is a love story for all ages.   Author's note:  Please visit <a href="http://www.abrothersloverun.org">www.abrothersloverun.org</a>  for more information on Andy's Charities and my upcoming charity run!