My friendship with Stephen dates back to when we were just babies, thanks to his parents and mine becoming neighbors and quickly, friends. I have many wonderful memories of our years growing up together. Stephen was more like a brother than just a friend. His family was like a second family to me. I spent many evenings around the Keller dinner table. And when they went on vacation, I was the family dog-sitter.

Stephen and I walked to and from the bus stop every day together from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. This calls to mind an incident one morning at the bus stop. We were either in Kindergarten or First Grade and anxiously awaiting the bus to arrive. Stephen decided to swing his blue, Pluto the dog, book bag around but used a little too much gusto and it ended up in the branches of a tall tree.

I remember many summer days spent running through the sprinkler and building snow forts and sled riding in the winter. We often spent afternoons drawing, playing board games, making paper airplanes, or even playing with Stephen's Star Ward figures. We liked riding our bikes together and we were thrilled when our parents agreed that we could ride our bikes to McDonald's.

We enjoyed many of the same things, including amusement parks. We had a great time together at Six Flags, N.J., riding rides and planning games. We also shared the same circle of friends, so, we would attend the same parties and planned and held an end-of-the year, Eighth grade cookout between our back yards. Even this church holds special memories. Stephen invited me to attend Vacation Bible School with him, as well as other special church events.

I think the world of Stephen. He was not only a good son, brother, uncle, husband and father, but I am very proud to have called him my friend.