“[At the Stand by Me 25th Reunion], there were five chairs set up for us in a semi circle. Our names were on pieces of paper so we knew where to sit. I was between Rob and Corey, and Jerry and Richard sat to Corey’s left. When we all sat down, Rob looked down the row of seats and softly said to me, ‘it feels like there should be an empty seat here for River’. […] When Rob said that to me, with such sadness in his eyes, it was like I’d been punched in the stomach by eighteen years of suppressed grief. I knew that if I tried to say anything, all I would do was cry, and I didn’t know if I’d be able to stop. I took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and nodded. ‘Yeah,’ I whispered”

Rare photo of River and his father in Key West, Florida ‘87

I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?

“I was in bed when I heard. It didn’t seem real at first. I didn’t really know him, but I wanted to cry- and I still do. There are scripts that come to me, and they say, ‘two young guys’. In my mind, I see River and me”

[Aug • 23rd - River’s 47th] 

Thinking of this precious one today. Still sparkling. So grateful we had you.