Proud Southern Mom

I WOULD BE PROUD AND HONORED.  THERE ARE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS NOW.  I KNOW THAT KEITH WOULD HAVE WANTED THIS TOO, IF IT HAD BEEN ME THAT HAD GOTTEN KILLED.  THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP, KIND WORDS, AND UNDERSTANDING.  DIXIE OUTFITTERS WILL ALWAYS BE A GOOD MEMORY IN THE PART OF MY HEART THAT DIED WITH KEITH THAT NIGHT.   AND I AM PROUD TO BE A SOUTHERN MOTHER WHO HAD A SPECIAL SOUTHERN SON.  I CANNOT REMEMBER IF I TOLD YOU THIS OR NOT.  KEITH WAS AN ORGAN DONOR AT 17 YEARS OLD.  HE WAS SUCH A GIVING YOUNG MAN.  THEY HAVE ALREADY USED HIS EYES, BONES IN HIS ARMS AND LEGS.  AND KNOW THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS TO START SKIN GRAFTS.  THE CALLS FROM LIFE NET AND THEIR LETTERS LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS AS THEY HAPPEN ARE PRICELESS.  HE HELPED PEOPLE WHILE HE WAS LIVING AND NOW SINCE HE DIED.  I AM A VERY PROUD SOUTHERN MOM. AND IT MEANS A LOT TO KNOW THAT DIXIE OUTFITTERS THINKS THAT SON WAS A GOOD SOUTHERN YOUNG MAN.  SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS THINK THE WORST OF OUR TEENAGERS TODAY.  THEY ONLY HEAR THE BAD THINGS.  PEOPLE DO NOT TALK MUCH ABOUT THE GOOD AND POSITIVE THINGS THAT THEY DO.  I KNOW A LOT OF GOOD TEENAGERS.  THEY ARE THE ONES THAT I HAD SOME OF THE SHIRTS MADE FOR.  I TALK TO THEM EVERY WEEK ON THE PHONE AND THEY USUALLY STOP BY HERE 2-3 TIMES PER MONTH.  WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AT SCHOOL AND IN THEIR LIFE.  AND WE TELL STORIES GOOD, FUNNY AND EVEN SOME BAD ONES ABOUT KEITH. I LET THEM KNOW THAT I AM HERE IF THEY NEED ME AND THEY LET ME KNOW THAT I CAN CALL THEM IF I NEED THEM.  THEY ARE VERY GOOD AND MATURE 16, 17, AND 18 YEAR OLD YOUNG MEN AND SOUTHERN GIRLS.  I MAKE A POINT OF TELLING THEIR PARENTS HOW GOOD THEY ARE EACH TIME I TALK WITH THEM.  I ALSO TELL THEM TO LET THESE KIDS KNOW THEY ARE SPECIAL.  IT DOES NOT HELP TO SAY THESE THINGS AFTER THEY HAVE DIED.  THEY NEED TO HEAR POSITIVE THINGS NOW.  SOME PARENTS ONLY FOCUS ON THE BAD THINGS.  I TOLD BOTH OF MY SONS HOW PROUD THAT MADE ME.  I DID FUSS ABOUT THE BAD CHOICES TOO.  BUT I HAD A LOT MORE POSITIVE TALKS THAN I DID THE NEGATIVE ONES.  AND NOW THAT KEITH IS DEAD I AM SO GLAD OF THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.  AND I KNOW BY NOW YOU WISHED YOU HAD NOT SENT THIS EMAIL.  I HAVE GONE ON AND ON AGAIN. I AM SORRY.  I SHOULD HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU A YES OR NO AND THANK YOU.

FROM THE BIG MOUTH OF THE SOUTH,

VANESSA