THCreate

I feel compelled to write an article remembering a man I barely knew, though I recognized the compassionate person he was, despite learning about his past at his funeral.

Who Was Thaddaeus?

From what I knew, Thaddaeus was the man who dated Camille and attended the YMCA on a hot, summer day. He was one of the tallest guys I’ve personally known and was working his way to make time for the gym.

He told me he had traveled to many places and after attending his wake ceremony, I learned he had been to parts of the earth I’ve never traveled, places like Europe.

His life was perfectly displayed on a slideshow that showed his childhood into manhood. It showed he had a passion for animals, even the ones that sometimes cross our paths, like ducks. I learned he was in the middle of creating a cartoon with a family friend he grew up with. I learned he suffered injuries, endured mental health conflicts, spent time in prison, was involved in a recent car accident that left him with some serious injuries. I learned a lot, just by attending a ceremony in his honor.

Crossing Paths

I met Thadd, or Thaddaeus, in the summer of 2021. To my knowledge, when we introduced our selves to each other, I remember asking him if he had children. If memory serves correct, he did not, but I did.

Interested in his name, I asked him to repeat and pronounce his name. He told me the meaning, but I don’t recall if it had anything to do with the Greek meaning, a male with a courageous heart.

That was significant because the place I met Thaddaeus was at a family swimming pool at the Northeast YMCA at Calypso Cove. You could understand my confusion on why this grown man and his significant other, Camille, attended the pool but it was enjoyable either way.

I remember the two significant times we shared together. The first, I offered to see who could swim the fastest from one point of the pool to the other. This was possible because the pool takes 10-minute breaks at the beginning of every hour for their lifeguards. I won, despite his long body giving him the advantage.

The second memory at a later date was the slide races. Calypso Cove offers two slides–a fully closed and open slide. He acknowledged he was very lean and that he would likely win if he picked the right slide. To spare the details of my loss that round, he picked the right slide, the faster slide, the slide that was fully closed. His method worked and we were tied.

Discovering the Headlines to be True

On New Year’s Day, I saw an article citing Louisville’s first homicide of the year 2022 occurred. Without hesitation, I read the article, glanced at the name I knew to be true of a man I had only known for the past 6 months.

I’m sorry your life was taken too soon, Thaddaeus. I’m sorry you fought demons throughout out the years but I’m glad to know in the end, you were supported by those who loved you most, who called you a son, brother and friend.

Rest in peace, Thaddaeus. Gone, but never forgotten.