Welcome to Team Tyler. I miss Tyler…we all miss Tyler…we miss talking to him, miss his zest for living and miss his quirky personality. We admire so much about Tyler and one of the things we admire the most is the way he chose to live the end of his life. I (Dean)was there the day he signed the Hospice papers and watched in amazement as he continue to embrace life and make the most of every day he had left.

Tyler had a bucket list and accomplished most of his list before he died. There were few things Tyler didn’t get to do that were on his list. He wanted to vote in the Presidential election. I thought maybe we could get him an absentee ballot but he died before the conventions. He wanted to watch the Summer Olympics but just missed them. Tyler also wanted to do a triathlon. A few weeks before Tyler died he was in my office and I told him I wasn’t up for a triathlon but asked him if he wanted me to do a half marathon in his honor. He said yes and I asked him if he was serious—I mean a half marathon vs. a triathlon, I thought he’d laugh. But Tyler didn’t even blink and said, “YES!”

I had signed up for the Country Music Half but couldn’t make the race—had to be in Virginia that weekend. Any way, I knew I still owed Tyler a race and a friend suggested a sprint triathlon. I laughed and he suggested getting a relay team for the sprint. So now I am swimming and my two relay teammates, Magan and Kristin, will handle the biking and running.

Some other friends who knew Tyler heard about the sprint triathlon and wanted to join. So now we have Team Tyler! So far there are 12 of us doing the sprint-tri on Team Tyler (and two relay teams!).

1. Dean, Kat and Kristin

2. Rebecca Hernandez

3. Christi Kruse and Susan Eller

So this sprint-triathlon is for our friend, who honestly showed us how to embrace life to the finish—Tyler! Miss You, Tyler and no laughing at any of us from Heaven as we train! Goodness, we miss you!