On my morning walk… (my doctor insists I carve out time to walk everyday .. so I do it early before it gets too hot)… I was thinking about how we were all laughing till it hurt while playing Family Feud Disney Version. We where literally rolling on the living room floor in front of the fireplace. Your little cousins were hopping around and acting “crazy”! I remember thinking it was the best Christmas I’d had in many years because my immediate family was all together.

Please tell Orion we remember him fondly. The pool hangouts, the trips to that park at the university, the picnics. He was always good to Adara and Gideon. Playful and smiling. Can’t wait to see that smile again!

I will never forget how whenever y’all would visit, Orion, you would hustle me in video games on my own system in my own house. Well played sir, well played.
-David

Orion, you always have the funniest and most random jokes! You are always willing to serve others! You love learning about God’s word and you clearly have His word hidden in your heart. You are a true disciple of Jesus.
– Stephanie

Hey Orion,

Back when your dogs where still puppies they both could nap on just one bean bag together. They loved to keep you company as you played video games in the upstairs media room at the first Georgia house. I loved how much effort you put into training those puppies! Carina was such a renegade! And Denver was like…” Um really!! It was so peaceful before.. why’d you guys DO THIS?”

Not really a “funny” story, but one that left an impression on me and speaks to the incredible intelligence of Orion:

Several months ago, at Wednesday night Connection Students, we had just started the worship portion of the night, and kids were making their way inside the auditorium. During Wednesday nights, the students sort of stand around the front of the stage while the worship team plays the praise songs.

I turn around and spot Orion and another kid holding a (solved) Rubik’s cube and discussing it. I immediately remembered that my son had left a fidget spinner Rubik’s cube in my truck. He had worked on this thing every time he rode in my truck, only to mess it up even more. Sometimes at a red light or in a parking lot I would pick it up and play around with it, and each time I would give up and put it down. It rode around in my cup holder for weeks until that Wednesday night.
I told Orion “hold on I’ll be right back”. I jogged out to the parking lot, grabbed it and brought it back inside the auditorium, handed it to him, then turned back toward the stage to continue listening and worshipping with the band. I honestly thought this thing was too far gone. That we had messed it up so good it couldn’t be solved. So I didn’t even watch what Orion was doing with it after I handed it to him.

After the band finished the song, I glanced back at Orion, and I kid you not, he had at that very moment completely solved this little gizmo, and had begun spinning it around! I was baffled!

He started to hand it back to me and I told him “No man! That’s yours! You’ve earned it!” He was so very grateful, and he thanked me wholeheartedly.
I’ll never forget that little exchange. I’ve been impressed with him several times, but I was super impressed with him in that moment. The speed in which he solved that puzzle blew me away! He’s such a sweetheart. We have and will continue to ceaselessly pray for him. For all of you. Thank you for sharing this remarkable young man with us all!

I doubt if you remember me but I remember the first time I met you. No, I don’t recall the exact date but I do remember it was at Brooklet United Methodist Church – either Children’s Church or maybe VBS. You were probably only four or five years old. So precious! You walked into the room and I had not seen you before. I walked over to you and introduced myself and asked your name. You looked up at me with the biggest brown eyes I’ve ever seen and said your name. I could not understand what you said so I had to ask several times before I understood you were saying Orion. Now I am imagining that you are probably thinking what is wrong with this lady? Has she never heard of Orion before? And once I understood, I am thinking – yes, I’ve heard of Orion before – “Men in Black” movie, right? Orion’s Belt! Of course.

We sat down at one of the tables and started talking while you colored or played with one of the toys. I could tell by the conversation that you were concerned about something that was happening in your life but you were unable to explain it to me. You asked me if I had ever had it. It? I didn’t know what “it” was so I told you I had not. You then spotted another toy and off you went. I can only guess that “it” was not a big deal because I never heard anymore about it and I saw you around the church after that. You appeared to be fine. Maybe it was tonsils, or plugs in your ears. If that was the case, then I didn’t lie to you about not having “it” because I still have my tonsils and never had plugs in my ears.

From the pictures I’ve seen of you on social media, you still have those beautiful brown eyes.