All of you here today knew Jack as friends or family, mentors or simply people inspired by his story, but only two people here have been so blessed as to have had him as a brother and I wanted to share a few words about what an honor that has been. As many of you know, growing up my parents never let Jack be mean to his little sisters. Jack learned quickly as a three- to five-year-old that any rude remarks or refusals to include me were not going to fly. As Jack graduated from only child to big brother, for me this meant getting to gallop Playmobil horses in Jack's directorial debut as a Playmobil movie maker or being permitted to watch him play Legos and participate only if I was willing to follow explicit instructions.

My parents have always been big proponents of “forced family fun.” While it may have been forced when Jack was submitted to watching exclusively Kung Fu Panda on the ride to Sunapee each weekend in 2010, or when at age 20 when we still forced to wear matching outfits in the Christmas card, or forced letting his little sisters cramp his style while he ice-skated with the big kids, or his perpetual and forced assignment to sit with me at the kids’ table; I know that it was NOT FORCED when Jack cooked me chicken soup and drove it to my dorm room when I had the flu this winter, and it was not forced when Jack willingly sat in rush hour traffic to pick up Charlotte from Thayer most days this year, and it was not forced when Jack asked me to go out to sushi and watch Harry Potter this summer when he could have gone out with friends. And the second hug he gave me each time I left for school after already saying goodbye was not forced but preparation for our time without him.

While it may not have been Jack's choice 19 years ago to become an older sibling or again three and a half years later, he CHOSE to be a brother to us. I don’t know if Jack knew quite how much Charlotte and I adored him or truly what his perpetual patience and kindness meant to me, but I hope that slowly Jack can give me strength to take over as both older brother and older sister to Charlotte in his absence. I hope with all of my heart that in time I can be just half of the person that Jack has been to me.