Tyler James Harlicker

One of Preston's very first friends passed away on March 29th. The funeral was on April 2nd with visitation the night before. I wasn't sure how the kids would handle all this. They have been to funerals before, so that wasn't new to them, but never had they nor I been to a funeral for someone we knew so well at such a young age. There were so many people at the visitation and so many beautiful flowers and tributes. We said our goodbyes to Tyler and gave our condolences to Tim, Susan and Jacob (Lillie was napping). It was at this very moment that Preston just broke down sobbing and I mean sobbing like you hurt yourself very badly. He had Tim, Grandma Judy (Tim's mom) and Grandma Anne (Susan's mom) all trying to console him. After he let it all out, it was like this peace just came over him. I can't even pretend to imagine to be a 7 year old and lose a friend. At the funeral Preston and some other friends sang, "Jesus Loves Me." He belted it out with all his might! Today would have been Tyler's 8th birthday. I'm sure he has having the best party ever with Jesus. Here is an excerpt from his Caringbridge on the day he passed away: Tyler completed his journey here on earth. we watched him all day it looked like he was reaching and trying to climb a ladder. he called me in the afternoon after his brother got home and told me Daddy I'm ready to go to heaven now but how do I get there.All I could tell him is I don't know, I gave him the rosary beads that were loaned to him by Mitch and Barb and also his angel token from Beth and told him to call for an angel and they could help him. we stayed by his bedside the whole day and watched him try and get to heaven. numerous times he would take the rosary beads and follow the beads down to the cross and grasp it like a key he reached out and it look liked he was trying to open a door. he also a couple of times took my hand and neatly placed the beads in my hand and then just held it. I now feel he was passing his strength to me because I feel a strange peace inside myself. In the night he talked, at one point he just said I see a light. at another point he told me I see Jesus. at about 1:30 am he woke struggling and crawled towards me I picked him up and held him and told him to go go to heaven he took his last breath and died in my arms That's the way Susie saw it happening days ago. As I told her you carried him into this world He let Daddy carry him out.

Happy 8th Birthday, Ty! We love and miss you!