today, after wearing it for 15 consecutive years and never taking it off (not for TSA, showers, bed - never), I’ll be removing it from my wrist and keeping it with my other high-value items. Why now? To be honest, I never thought about it and probably would have ended up wearing it my whole life, but most recently while playing with Kennedy, I’ve had some close calls with it, so it got me thinking. I’ve realized that for me, this bracelet has not only been a physical reminder of Jake, his family, and the memory I have of our friendship, but most importantly the values and integrity that he inculcated and fought for even in the last moments. There aren’t many days I don’t think of him and that won’t change with or without this memorial bracelet on my wrist. He reminds me and humbles me of what is good in our world and the things that are worth fighting for. Jake was my best friend. He was killed in action fighting for something he believed in and loved. He fought and died for all of us. He is a Hero. Next time we meet, remind me to tell you his story. 🙏🏼🇺🇸