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Having lost my father and a brother to untimely deaths, I know time and faith are perhaps the only healing tools that exist in such moments of adversity.
When I heard the news about Warrenton junior Devin Sherry, my heart sank into my stomach.
It brought back some of life's more difficult moments. But most of all it brought to light how many people would be affected by his loss and the uphill climb that awaits. Life will never be the same for those who were blessed with Devin's presence each day, and starting a new routine is easier said than done.
But rest assured that Devin made the most of his limited years.
He had so much going for him and was looking forward to a prosperous future of conquering more milestones.
Devin may have been the one athlete that I interviewed and covered the most throughout this school year - because he was involved in a sport during each of the seasons.
And I think it says something about his character that he was competed in sports that were individually based. While there is certainly camaraderie in cross-country and wrestling, only Devin could ultimately determine how much he accomplished.
I had the privilege of interviewing him on several occasions this school year. He surprised me a little this winter when he declined to comment about his performance at state wrestling.
After losing both of his matches at Columbia, he wasn't much for words.
But, truthfully, he didn't have to tell me what was going through his mind.
I can tell you that Devin was trying his best to put the disappointment behind him and plot his training efforts toward a return to state his senior year.
That part of his character was always intriguing.
Devin qualified for the State Championships in both cross country and wrestling this season - setting himself apart from most other athletes in the school. But no matter how well he performed, he never seemed truly satisfied.
I recall how he entered the district wrestling competition unseeded, virtually out of contention for the title.
Devin upset the tournament's No. 2 seed, advancing to the semifinals. He again triumphed over a higher-ranked opponent, propelling himself into the finals. While Devin ended up losing that title bout, he was thrilled to have earned another shot at state. I remember how tickled he was having over-achieved.
"It was pretty cool to not be seeded and come in and take out the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds along the way," said Sherry, following his Cinderella run through a stacked bracket.
A part of me knows that he never doubted he could make it through that bracket. Proving it made the experience bittersweet.
There was probably never a time I interviewed Devin that he didn't mention how he wanted to work toward a better finish next time. He was living for the future, very focused on accomplishing his goals.
Tackling the odds never seemed to be an issue for Devin. He was always ready for the next challenge - very forward-thinking.
I can remember how overwhelmed he was by his first trip to the state cross-country meet in November.
He had fallen just shy of qualifying his sophomore season and was elated to have made it this year. The race conditions were brutal, it was cold with a blustery wind, not to mention the hilly terrain.
"The course was hard," quipped Sherry, consumed by emotion after the race. "No doubt about it. We walked it (before hand) and thought, 'Oh, it doesn't seem that bad.' But when you actually run it going all out, you get past one hill and then there's another, and it's like, 'When is it going to end?"
Of course, he was smiling that notorious Devin smile - the kind that said, 'Dang, that was tougher than I thought, but I loved every minute of it.'
He finished 88th, admittedly below his expectations. But he didn't dwell on that. He immediately reassured himself, knowing he would have one more season to conquer his goal.
"State was pretty awesome," said Sherry. "It was definitely an experience I will never forget. I'm only a junior, so I'm still hoping for more to come. This the time for me to get after it, because I've only got one more year left."
If that doesn't exemplify his work ethic, I'm not sure what does.
So many of us are living for the moment. Devin certainly took time to enjoy the moment. But he seemed to realize how prized his time on Earth was and was always planning to make the best of his very next opportunity to excel.
Beyond his perseverance as a runner or wrestler, I could tell he was an encourager.
Devin and fellow junior Steven Wallace held one another accountable and seemed invaluable to each other as wrestling partners. Steven spoke of the importance of Devin's friendship on countless occasions.
I've heard other stories of how Devin openly confessed his gratitude toward his friends.
Although I didn't know him that well, I can honestly say Devin's positive character shined through each time we encountered.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "Youth is wasted on the young." He meant of course young people can't appreciate their vitality, potential and opportunities because they're callow.
I would argue Devin Sherry was the antithesis of such thinking. He used his vigor of youth and too few precious years to his advantage, challenging himself, striving for athletic perfection, doing better than expected and not being satisfied with a mediocre finish.
I pray God never let's us forget him or the persistence that he personified.
