"A FRIEND"

I can't write about 'a friend' when you clearly had way too many friends for me to write about just one!
Some of your secondary school teachers once told me that your year level was so "together" that duty teachers had to ask you all to split up into smaller groups in order that your 'group' was not so intimidating. Apparently, there was often 30 or 40 of you 'hanging out' together! It was just the sheer size of the group that proved too daunting to a lone teacher on the beat!
This volume of  friendship was particularly evident at your funeral. The church holds about 500 people and it was filled to capacity that day!! What a fitting tribute!
Two days after you died about 20 of your friends turned up on our doorstep. They came in silently, some shedding tears, all supporting us and each other. They sat on our lounge room floor for hours and cried and told stories of the things you got up to with all of them. They were still there when the funeral director came to organise your funeral and, without hesitation, your mates volunteered to carry your coffin, to deliver several of the eulogies and to provide the music.
They are good friends, Jake! They have been truly supportive of us and each other this past year. I know that they have been hurting without their mate! But, they have included us in their storytelling sessions (probably condensed versions) and have visited us occasionally. Some of them have invited us to their 21st birthdays...a lovely way for us to 'feel' a bit of you, as you would have been right there amongst them!!
They have continued to keep Amber in their lives and she is truly one of their 'friends'. Just the way you would have wanted! xxx