Excepts from "God's Greats" by Claire Borowik

We recently attended the funeral of dear Andre, of Jacques and Marie, who suffered an accident and went to be with the Lord at just 29 years of age. Andre had leukemia as a child, and as a result suffered some physical and mental limitations, which I’m sure were daunting crosses for him to bear.
I had met Andre not long ago, when visiting Canada, and had been impressed by his gentle and kind nature. He was so full of life and so interested and absorbed with the people around him. It was as if he’d been granted the ability to view life in a different dimension, and things that troubled and concerned others seemed to have little value to him.
At the funeral, besides the many Family members who came to share this moment of commemorating his life, others who had been touched by Andre’s brief life also came to share their condolences and memories of how he had touched their lives—two fire trucks with firemen from a fire station where he had ballooned; police officers from the local police department, Salvation Army personnel, and people from the farmer’s market had sent their condolences as well. A lady who ran a Salvation Army shelter shared how Andre had touched her life and her conviction that he was an angel placed on this earth to touch the lives of others.
Person after person got up to share memories of Andre, and we all shed tears in hearing how he witnessed to the security guards in the malls where he did his ballooning, and how many of these later commented to his parents or partners about how special he was. Hearing how many lives he had touched, and realizing that these were just a sampling of those people, since most wouldn’t have heard that he passed away or had the opportunity of speaking at his funeral, made a deep impression on me.
I didn’t know Andre well, but somehow I imagine he had little sense of how he touched the lives of others every day and how they were reminded of God’s presence even in the midst of the challenges of life. I’m sure the struggles of life and the limitations he faced must have seemed overwhelming at times. And yet he soldiered on in his own way, and is remembered for those kind and good things he shared with others.

I love you so much Andre! I don't know if you even knew to what extent you touched the lives of others, but you did. I am so proud that I had you as my brother. I miss you!