Memorial Service

The family will provide two interpreters for the event.  There will be a
short service given by the Gutches family Minister, then the minister
will ask anyone who wants to share a short story about how Drew has
touched their lives to share, about 5 min each.  Light refreshments will
be provided.

Drew’s Memorial and Celebration of his Life will be held:

Saturday, January 19, 2008
2pm-4pm
Holiday Inn & Conference Center
5400 Holiday Drive
Frederick, MD 21703
Tel 301.694.7500 Fax 301.694.0589

Website www.hifrederick.com

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Coco’s Comments:

I wanted to tell you… I am heartbroken over my buddy Drew’s death. He was a friend and he believed in me. What made his death more unnerving – he died at 1:50pm, Saturday January 5th, which also happened to be my birthday. Now every year I will remember him during the good times – just this year I’m allowed to grieve.

I have known Drew for two years now, having met through his roommates Marc and Brad – and once we did, we found out we shared something in common – Drew had Usher Syndrome like me. I was more active and involved with the Deaf Blind community and Drew was still taking baby steps forward.

In 2006, while I lived with Drew for a month in Washington, DC I finally persuaded Drew to attend the American Association for the Deaf Blind conference in Baltimore that summer along with Marc and Brad as our support service providers (more like cute poodles on leash as Drew and I would joke). The most amazing thing about the conference for me was when Drew got up from our table during the Closing Ceremonies gala and got himself up on the stage in front of 300 Deaf Blind people, 500 SSPs and interpreters, among other guests. Our table gawked at him in amazement.

Drew announced to the American Association for the Deaf Blind that he wrote a check for the nation’s leading Deaf Blind organization – in the amount of $10,000.

That was the kind of man Drew was, to me. An unsung hero.

“I finally feel normal”, he told me mid-week during the conference.

Ditto, Drew. The DB community has lost a future leader in telecommunications for the Deaf-Blind. We will put our best foot forward, and remember you.

Sending Drew tactile 9-0 love up above,

coco