Forever My Little Man

My oldest brother Esteban, "Little Man," isn't just my brother, he is my friend and I will do anything for him. Since the day I was born he has been looking out for my older brother Bernard "Busy Bee" and me. He was always there for us when my parents were at work or busy. We didn't always get along with each other, but when we fought and argued with each other we would apologize and forgive each other because at the end of the day all we had was each other and nothing can or will ever change that.

One day everything changed not just for Little Man, for my whole family. For you to understand I must go back to the day my grandma told my mom something that will change her six sisters and her life. My grandma told them that when they have kids they can turn out like their two brothers who had Muscular Dystrophy. When my aunts and mom where older only one of my aunts had two kids with Becker Muscular Dystrophy.

Unlike my aunt, my mom had one kid with Muscular Dystrophy except Little Man had Duchene, not Becker. Little Man was three years old when a teacher would come over to teach him so he would be ready to start school. At that time he could still walk But sometimes he would have to use a leg brace or a walker. Then one day at school the terrifying thing happened to him. He was in line getting his lunch and then all of a sudden he couldn't move his feet so he started to cry and yell, we weren't there to help him. The school called my parents and they came to the school.

When they brought him home he was in a wheelchair and we knew what had happened, so Busy Bee and I had decided to help out with Little Man we didn't mind because siblings are supposed to help each other through the bad and good times. We still watched cartoons, TV shows, movies, played with the dogs outside, played inside the house on the computer and video games with each other. We couldn't do everything we used to but we made the best of it. No matter what we did we would always find a way to include Little Man.

Even though some people were not nice to him, he was still nice to them even if they didn't deserve his kindness. All he had and needed was Busy Bee and my parents and a couple of family members and me. Then we found out we had a half-sister, even though he just met her he treated her like the big sister he would have had if we grew up with her. April twenty, twenty sixteen, she had a baby boy.

Little Man was excited to meet him, he loved laying next to him, playing with him and he even carried him in his arms. Soon everything was about to change and none of us saw that the worst thing was about to happen. It was the beginning of October 2016, dad had a doctor appointment and ended up staying in the hospital, but while he was in the hospital Little Man started getting sick and dad was still in the hospital.

A few days later, mom and I took Little Man to his appointment and the doctor looked at him and said he was going to call when he has the results. The doctor never called, but my dad came home from the hospital, nurses had to come check on my dad and even though Little Man was sick all he wanted was for my dad to get better.

Then everything went downhill and fell apart. It was six in the morning Tuesday, October 25th, 2016, my mom had just gotten home from work and Little Man was trying to wake me up to watch Sponge Bob with him, but he couldn't wake me up. Two hours later, eight o'clock, I woke up and the Busy bee was getting dressed for work, my dad went to the restroom, my mom was in the kitchen and I was watching Paw Patrol with Little Man.

My mom came in and Little Man wanted to move to the other size of the bed, and while my mom was moving him his eyes closed and his heart was still beating, but he wouldn't wake up, my mom went to get my dad out of the restroom and bernard tried to save him by doing CPR while calling 911 and he wouldn't wake up firefighters, cops and an ambulance came and they tried to wake him up by doing CPR and all that came out was blood and he never woke up it was 9:30 when they told us he was dead and they did everything they could.

My parents were crying, Busy Bee and I were in the other room waiting for the people to take Little Man's body and we were just glad that we were home together and talked to him before he died, he was only twenty-one years old.

Thursday, October 27th was Little Man's viewing and some of his old teachers came one of them helped us collect money for his funeral. The next day was his funeral, we played his favorite song, "Little Man."

When I saw him again, pastor Daniel, Busy Bee and my cousin Adam were the only ones who said anything about him. When we put him in the ground most of the people crying didn't even talk to him or care about him. The only time people care is when you are dead, regret is stronger than gratitude.

Little Man had a heart of gold, he was a sweetheart, an angel, a friend and most of all my big brother. Nothing is the same, the house feels empty even with all the people in it. 2017 was one of the most hardest years for my family.

Even though you're not here I know you're watching over us and you live on in our hearts. You are unforgettable and one of a kind. Everyone including me was blessed to known you and have you in their life. Throughout my life, you were the main person in it. I love you and miss you every day. There isn't a day I don't think about you.