Son of Matthew and Debra Dortch of Clio, and brother of Caitlin Dortch. He was taken from us too soon and will be remembered forever. What can I say about Gunner? When he was born, I was in labor for 24 hours. I was so tired, worn out, and hungry. The pain and weariness were immediately forgotten the second I looked at my sweet little boy. He was the light of my life, my heart, my miracle. I loved him unconditionally, completely, forever. He grew into an adorable toddler full of fun, huge brown eyes smiling. He was so smart and imaginative coming up with new uses for trinkets found on the ground, and sticks found in the yard. Turning them into the greatest of inventions, or the most lethal of weapons. So excited when we brought home a new sister to become his best friend.
His elementary school years were spent making new friends and learning new things. He was always so intelligent and had a vocabulary that would put Webster’s to shame. He was always a quiet little guy, but hid a sarcastic sense of humor, and always ready with a witty comeback. He was still the light of my life, my heart, my miracle. I loved him unconditionally, completely, forever.
Through the high school years, my sweet little boy would grow into an amazing young man. He was so thoughtful and sensitive, even though he tried to hide it. I totally loved spending time with him any chance I got. If he was willing to sit for just a few seconds on the arm of the couch while waiting for food in the microwave, I took the chance to ask him about his day and let him know he was loved. He was developing his own sense of self, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. There were some rocky roads with school, but we made it through. He was still the light of my life, my heart, my miracle. I loved him unconditionally, completely, forever.
Gunner had a passion for all things cars and decided to go to college to study auto mechanics. He loved it and was excited to learn new things. He even made the Deans list. We couldn’t be prouder. He met a new group of friends with the same passion as him and was branching out into the world. He started working at Discount Tire and excelled, getting promotions and raises, and showing an incredible work ethic. He was starting to come back around to hanging out in the living room and having mini chats with us. I would take anything I could get! One day he told me he wanted to get his motorcycle endorsement. Being the mom that I am, I immediately thought, “NO!” Gunner promised to take motorcycle safety classes, and ALWAYS wear all of his protective gear. He did not disappoint. He was an extremely safe rider. He decided that motorcycles were the vehicles he wanted to work on and planned to find an internship at a motorcycle shop. He was living his best life making friends, working hard, and riding his motorcycle. I often told him how proud I was of him, and what a great man he was becoming. I made sure to tell him I loved him each day. He was still the light of my life, my heart, my miracle. I still loved him unconditionally, completely, forever.
Tuesday July 15th started out to be a totally typical day. Gunner had the day off, so I chatted with him a little bit while he was doing his usual morning things. He went upstairs; I went to work. That evening, we were haunted by a Facebook post. A gray motorcycle, a matching helmet. Friends stopped by to ask if we’d heard from Gunner, no was our reply. A text from his sister, a photo, my worst nightmare come true. My sweet little boy was taken from me by a careless driver. They broke my heart and left me devastated. I watched as a twisted hunk of gray metal was loaded onto a flatbed. I would never get to say “I love you” anymore.
So many friends and family stopping by, helping out, providing a hug, and sincere condolences. Sharing in our tears, as well as the grief. Letting us know we aren’t alone. Sharing stories of my sweet little boy, turned amazing man. Peering at photos through our tears, while remembering the incredible person Gunner was. Still the same big brown eyes, but now in the face of a handsome man. Flipping through the years of Gunner’s life seeing the changes as he grew. He will forever stay 20 years old. There will come a day when his younger sister lives longer than him, and it will once again, break my heart. I love you so much Gunner. It will always bring a smile to my face remembering the different stages of your short life, and the amazing person you were. You made me a better person, wanting to be the best parent I could be for you. You will always be the light of my life, my heart, my miracle. I will always love you unconditionally, completely, forever.
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