I miss you . It is the middle of football season, UM sucks, OSU is not performing like they should and life halts. I find myself watching water, it trickles like time. There will never be another connection between us in this plane of life/time. I only hold onto the noble use that you are listening to the rest of us. Libby and I got married in June, i'm lucky, very lucky....you should have been there! I have a feeling that you are here with me now. Why, why, why did life turn a tsunami, why did the wave take the sound! I will find the sound, yur sound is my sound!!!!I will retreat now, and embrace my hopelesness. I will meet you wherever we meet, keep on keepin on my MAN! I love you and will diminish and cry until you talk again...I here the WIND!
we miss you / Annie ((sister-in-law, don's wife) )Read >>
we miss you / Annie ((sister-in-law, don's wife) )
So, it's football season again. (for me, it's half-time shows and good junk food season)
Don bought Lucy some Michigan pajamas last week. She is also still fitting into the Ohio State onesies her awesome Uncle Dave Hatch got her. She hasn't developed any loyalties yet. We'll see.
Only one NFL team for this girl, though- she's been wearing the little Browns t shirt that Ali, Tom, Colin, and Lauren all wore. Aunt Tam sent it to us. It is funny b/c it is like a 2T and lucy is only 6 months, but she is barely fitting her chubby little belly into it. (i hope we don't traumatize her with the Browns stuff though-- Don made her wear these little brown pants that are too tight for her and left a little red ring arounf her belly, because he said, "that's the only brown pants she has and she HAS to have brown on." She is so squishy and adorable. She is growing SO fast.
By the way, it is so funny to see Don buying this little baby girl clothes AND then fumbling around with the little buttons and snaps. He has actually cut/ ripped a few things off of her...
You would be so proud of him, Lane. He is such a great Dad. He is alone with Lucy in the evenings when I am working and he runs with her in the stroller (he even bought a fancy jogging stroller- after a lot of research about which is best, he saw a schwinn LT model and decided that would have to be the one), plays with her, feeds her, bathes her, changes her diapers, plays the guitar for her, sings for her, plays your ipod tunes for her, cuddles her, soothes her... and he is awesome at it.
We think and talk about you everyday, Lane. And everyday, we wish you were here. so does lucy, she knows all about you.
Was this the date that it started...? / Aunt Candy Read >>
Was this the date that it started...? / Aunt Candy
Unbroken Chain
Blue light rain, whoa, unbroken chain Looking for familiar faces in an empty window pane Listening for the secret, searching for the sound But I could only hear the preacher and the baying of his hounds
Willow sky, whoa, I walk and wonder why They say love your brother but you will catch it when you try Roll you down the line boy, drop you for a loss Ride out on a cold railroad and nail you to a cross
November and more as I wait for the score They're telling me forgiveness is the key to every door A slow winter day, a night like forever Sink like a stone, float like a feather
Lilac rain, unbroken chain Song of the Saw-Whet owl Out on the mountain it'll drive you insane Listening to the winds howl
Unbroken chain of sorrow and pearls Unbroken chain of sky and sea Unbroken chain of the western wind Unbroken chain of you and me
rainbows.../ Lesley Graham (love)
hey there suga.
so i know its been awhile...
the words still dont come easy, even though the thoughts are many.
so ashlea got married the other month. it was a beautiful ceremony down on the beach, at sunset. i was so happy for her, that she found someone who makes her feel like you make me feel.
as i was standing there, listening to the two of them pledge their forever's to each other, i looked up and there, in the sky was the most beautiful rainbow. the most beautiful rainbow i had ever seen.
after the ceremony i asked everyone if they had seen the rainbow as well. and no one had seen it. only me.
and thats when i realized....
so thank you for the rainbow. thanks for letting me know that even though i cant always see you, you are always here. and sometimes, when i need it the most, you are here, just for me.
now rainbows are just another thing i can add to our list.
i miss you.
i love you. Close
Football Season has started / David Hatch
Well here we are again my friend...another college football season is upon us. I know that we have twelve weeks until the game we always bet on but I have to say it isn't looking good for you this year. The last 6 of 7 have been pretty tough for your boys from the state up north and it doesn't look like the streak of 4 straight will end this year. I just want you to know that this time of year has always been my favorite and talking trash with you only made it that much better. There will always be something missing on that day in November when the scarlet and gray meet the maize and blue. I miss you like hell brother. I would give anything to have you hear back with us, even if it means shaving an "M" out of my hair until I lose it all (by the way you still lost that bet). Looking forward to watching the game with you again. GO BUCKS! Close
LANES FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR / Phil Tollett (uncle)
Lanes Favorite time of the year.
He loved this time of year. The beginning of football season!
High School,College,Pro, he loved it all. I loved my talks with him about this. When the pads go on and nobody has been beat yet, hope and enthusiasm rule your thoughts. He grew up in this mentality as I did, and its like a child waiting for Christmas.
I wish I had just one more session with you on my back steps talking football.
Lane is still with us. / Francis Stuart (Father of Joel Stuart )
Lane is still with us. This July 1 was my birthday. Joel and Mandy came to Elyria to take me and my girl friend out for dinner. We went to Moss's. Earlier that day on my way to see my Dad in EMH, I stopped, for the first time, to view Lane's grave marker. As we were waiting for our meals, I told all that I had visited the cemetery to see Lane's marker. In the back ground music was playing. As I finished my story, the song "Piano Man" came on. It sent a shiver done my back and caused me to tear up. Lane is still with us and will always be with us. Close
Thank you / Karen Cone (Cone Brothers Mom )Read >>
Thank you / Karen Cone (Cone Brothers Mom )
Lane,
I want to take this moment to Thank You for watching out for Ben and Grant during their tour in Iraq and driving home from Bragg. I know you were watching out for them because your Mom and I said you were and we know that you will always look out for all your brothers. My sons are better men for knowing you and I Thank You for that also. You touched their hearts more than you knew and you will always be a part of our family. Don't stop looking out for them, I think they will need to have you near.
Kaziah Hancock called the other night to tell me she is currently painting your portrait! She said "watch Good Morning America" on Sunday morning, and sure enough, my handsome son could be seen for all the USA watching that show at that moment. Lane, you've made us so immensely PROUD, and your likeness has gained national exposure. You deserve it. We stood with some of your buddies at the parade today: Hatch, Brent, Chad & we all wore your "memory of" shirts. Although the pain of losing you will never fade, the PRIDE will always override the pain.
blueberries in the valley / Angela Tollett (Cousin-in-law)Read >>
blueberries in the valley / Angela Tollett (Cousin-in-law)
Lane--Josh called your cellphone on a daily basis, sometimes 5 times in a row just to hear your voice after we came to Ohio for you.
It has been a year and our hearts are still broken. With no prompting from us there is not one mealtime or bedtime prayer that Curtis and Haven don't mention you and your family.
Curtis is playing baseball now and we wish you could be here at one of his games for him. He would be so thrilled to show you how good he pitches and how far he can hit. He painted black stripes under his eyes with some of the army face paint Don and Ryan brought him. He looks like a pro.
We just want you to know you are in our hearts and are every day. We miss terribly.
It's time for you to pull up the drive all sweaty and hungry. The Valley is beautiful and blooming and I bought some blueberries yesterday.
work sucked today / Grant Cone (Friend)
Cant really believe its been a year already. It really doesnt seem like one for us. Still seems like we just got back. Ben and I wanted to have a BBQ with the guys yesterday, but it was a pouring rain all day. Instead we got Ben, Mark, Wash, Clint, Darnell and myself and went to get some wings and tall boys. After that we played poker and told stories and drank. I lost $20 and Ben lost the same, except it was a 20 that he barrowed off me to play with. We stayed up until the early hours of the morning and then after we all passed out on the floor, we woke up at 4:30 to go to morning formation. We all looked like crap, but got out of doing PT. It was one of those days. Ben and I are playing 18 again tomarrow. We'll see you out there. We miss you so much and love you bro. Close
It's been a year since you left the ones you love. It's been a year that you've been looking down on us from up above. It's been a year of constant reminder that you're not here. It's been a year of memories, sorrow and fear. It's been a year since that horrible night. It's been a year from when you walked into the light. It's been a year where I had to be strong everyday. It's been a year of unspoken words I need to say. It's been a year since I had to say goodbye. Where is the good in goodbye when all I do is cry? It's been a year that has changed all my days. It's been a year, and I've grown strong in so many ways. It's been a year where I know you're in a better place. It's been a year, and I still haven't forgotten your face. It's been a year of just imagining what it's like up there. It's been a year since he took you, it just seems so unfair. It's been a year, but I know you're doing alright. It's been a year of only seeing you in my dreams at night. It's been a year, and I want you to know that I love you & miss you too, And no matter how well I hide my sadness & pain I will always be thinking of you.
love/ Lesley (girl)
so i made it to 11:30 pm avoiding this shitty shitty day. not that my mind hasn't been on you today, just like it is every day, i just tried not to realize the importance of this one particular day.
but then i started reading old emails we had sent back and forth throughout our courtship. some may think how is it possible we fell so in love, so quickly, but i would just show them an email or two and they would know...just like i knew, from the first minute.
you wrote me an email a year ago yesterday, and i wrote you back. i wonder if you got a chance to read it before you had to go out...
so im going to write it for you again, and hopefully you can read it up there, where i know you are making the most of it all, even though i wish you here today, just like every day since you've been gone.
...i have learned something though from this situation of ours. i have learned that the little petty, trivial things in life that seem to be so important at the time, arent. they arent worth the arguments or the tears. life is too short to focus on those things. and after spending the time apart that we will have spent, i hope to remember to spend every day with the fullest amount of love and respect for you that i can, because every day counts. i hope to embrace each day with you and remember the bigger picture of it all. i love you and you love me. there is nothing better i could ask for in life...
there is still nothing better i could ask for in life than to know i love you and you love me. but what i would give for one more kiss...
all my love
always
in all ways
sometimes the good moments hurt more than the bad Close
I figured it was time for me to actually put something on this website. I haven't done it yet because it takes everything I have to just open this site up. It is nice to read all of the things that people say about you but it has always been that way. In a way I wish that you would have been an asshole because it would make this a hell of lot easier. I miss you everyday brother and I can't even begin to describe how much. I am still waiting for the call from you saying "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!" because I am at a bar again when you call. I'm not sure how that always seemed to work, either I used to go out way too much or you just had good timing. I have thought about what to say when I did decided to finally put something on this site for hours and hours and now that I am sitting in front of this computer all that is coming out is snot and tears. I love you Lane (as I hear your dad say a brother from another mother) and I miss you...WE ALL MISS YOU!!!
My dearest Lane, this just can't be a year already. I don't like these "landmark" kind of dates, not this way. I'll never distance myself from your last hug, kissing your cheek or bald head. Your laugh, your crooked grin and the look on your face when you told a good joke, or had just heard a joke or story that you couldn't wait to tell will stay forever. I know you were right with Ryan and me, when we held Lucy just after she was born, and included in the hug we got from Don when he walked out of that delivery room just beaming! Thank you for getting me to Ft Bragg safely, after 3 bumped flights, I would've crawled there to meet those guys, and thanks for getting them here 3 weeks later. I realize that you send me small signs daily, but that precious little Lucy, meeting the Ft Bragg Gang, your hometown buddies and having them all together here with Lesley, well, you've kept us all in your circle, and Lane, you will always be the center, holding us all together!! And for that my son, I will be eternally gratefull! We love you, we miss you, and until I see you again, MOM OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXOOOOOOOXOOOO
Raining down / Allison Draper (Friend)
The weather is ironic today; It's rainy and cold...different than the days past. Sadly it matches the way I feel. I know it must have something to do with the date.
We miss you so Lane. Thinking of you today and always.
As you know Lane we went up to Elyria last weekend and met all your family and all your buddies. It was hands down the best time I have had in my life. I have never felt so welcome before. It felt so good to be there and talk about you. First off your mom, dad and two favorite brothers are the best. Besides Ben and I, your brothers are the coolest around. just kidding. There was times when I would be talking to your pops, Don or Ryan and I felt that I was talking and looking at you. It did us all so much justice to go up there and meet everyone. It was a emotional rollar coaster the entire time. One second I would be laughing as hard as I can and then I would be crying. A day doesnt go by that I dont think about you and going there brought back a lot of memories that had been put away for awhile. I cant even explain how good it felt to talk about all the good and all the bad with people who love you so much. I hope we were able to throw some good stories out there. I consider everyone we met family and you better believe we'll be back to see you and everyone. I now have even more people to call when I am having one of those days. All Ben and I do now is play golf way to much and then drink afterwards. We played yesterday and of course your name was on the card. The only problem was Ben was keeping score and you know how that goes. You were getting birdies and pars all day and finally I had to call BS on Ben and he finally agreed. But regardless you still won like usual. I miss you so much Lane and I feel honored to have met all your family and friends. You know how to pick them. I love you bro. Your the man!
Tributes and Condolences
Lane Tollett 
