*Will's stepfather passed away irl so I wrote about it here. Thank you to BrianBadgerMay for helping me write this ❤️ Love • Bree 🖤*
Will, RJ, Benji, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Arya and Oliver are back in Florida and it is not for a happy or good reason.
Will, RJ and the kids were just in Florida a few weeks ago to celebrate Christmas with their whole family, something they are so grateful they did because it was the last holiday they would ever celebrate with Hank.
On December 31st, Will's stepfather Hank was killed by a drunk driver while he was in Georgia. He was killed instantly.
It has been a devastating few weeks for the whole entire family and everyone is just heartbroken.
Benji, Coralei and Averie are taking it the hardest since they are the three oldest grandchildren however Theodore and Harlow are very sad as well. Luca is only two so he is having trouble understand while Arya and Oliver are just too young to understand.
Will flew down to Florida a few days after Hank's death to help his mother with arrangements and heal while RJ stayed home with the kids, keeping their routine the same until the funeral service.
A few days ago, Will's brother Logan flew to California to help RJ with the kids. It can be hard for anybody to fly with young children let alone eight of them, two being babies. Logan offered to fly to help so Will didn't have to go back and forth.
Yesterday, RJ, Logan, Benji, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Arya and Oliver have all made to Florida.
-
Will is currently sitting on the floor getting Arya and Oliver dressed and ready while RJ is styling Harlow's hair in a little braid.
Luca is happily watching Barney on Will's iPhone since is already dressed and ready to go.
Benji, Coralei, Averie and Theodore are also all dressed and ready to go, they are keeping themselves entertained by coloring pictures, playing with toys or video games.
*Benji, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Arya and Oliver's funeral outfits*
"Do you like your hair, Harlow?" RJ asks Harlow, showing her the braid he did with the small mirror.
"Uh huh! I look wike a princess!" Harlow says with a big cheeky smile as she dances around.
"You do!" RJ says, kissing Harlow's cheek before Harlow runs over to her older siblings.
"Stay still, Ollie. Come here, come here!" Will says as he picks up Oliver and lays him back down.
"That boy loves to crawl away, huh?" RJ says as he giggles loudly.
"Yeah, he does. Arya loves to crawl but she knows she has to stay still while getting dressed, right princess?" Will says as Arya babbles and begins to crawl over to RJ.
"Are you dressed and ready? Is that why you are crawling to me?" RJ says as he picks up Arya and sits her in his lap.
"She is done, minus her hair. But you know she hates bows." Will says with a grin.
"That's right. But you don't have much hair, so it's okay. We won't make you wear a bow." RJ coos to Arya.
Arya babbles in reply, not understanding what's happening or why they're going out. She was much happier without a bow, because every time lately her dads try to put one on, Arya has a fit.
Oliver, on the other hand, has no problem with his sisters and brothers - Luca especially - putting bows on his hair. He thinks he looks pretty.
Will finally gets Oliver to stay still enough to get him dressed, and then he lets him crawl wherever he wants- which is to the couch, where Averie is. Averie notices her little brother and smiles, putting her toy cars down.
"Hi, Ollie! You're so big and strong!" Averie says happily.
"Aaaah!" Oliver tries to say Averie's name, followed by more noises.
"Are we ready to go? Everything all packed?" RJ asks his husband and holds Arya on his hip.
The baby was becoming a Papi's girl, always wanting him near her but also wanting to be independent.
"Yep! Got everything, everyone's dressed and all that." Will nods.
Oliver turns around and crawls back to Will, then sees the bow in Harlow's hair and points at it.
"Meee, at!" Oliver expresses, wanting to wear it.
"You want Harlow's bow? It's in her hair right now, bud! But I'll give you one to hold, how about that?" Will says, picking up Oliver.
"Aaaaa!" Oliver says as he claps his hands and smiles.
Will hands Oliver the big bow and Oliver happily holds it in his chubby hand.
"Let's load up!" RJ says as Benji, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow and Luca all run outside and into the rental car.
Once everyone is in the car, RJ begins the drive to the funeral home.
"If you don't want to walk up to the casket to see Pop you don't have to okay? It's up to you." Will explains to the kids.
Will and RJ know Hank's body doesn't look perfect since he was involved in an accident, so they want to make sure the kids are prepared as much as they can be for their ages and not be scared.
"Okay, Daddy." Most of the kids say.
"I don't think I'I want to." Benji says quietly, rather sadly. He was still kind of surprised it had happened and he is truly sad.
"That's fine, Benji. No one will make you see him." Will says in a comforting tone and Benji nods and looks out the window.
"Why do we wear black and dark colors, Papi?" Coralei wonders, breaking the silence.
"Because it's to show respect and that we are grieving." RJ answers as he keeps driving.
"Oh." Coralei says, still a bit confused but accepts the answer.
Finally, after some more time being in the car, they all arrive. Will explains to everyone to use their inside voices and be respectful.
Oliver is still playing with the bow in his hand, whilst being in RJ's arms.
"Me haiw." He tries to put it in his hair.
"You'd like that in your hair, buddy?" RJ asks, debating whether to give in.
"Yaaa!" Oliver confirms, trying his best to talk.
"Let him put it on, maybe it will make everyone laugh." Will says as RJ puts the bow on Oliver's head causing him to laugh.
RJ holds Oliver while he grabs the diaper bag to bring inside.
Will helps Harlow, Luca and Arya out of the car, picking up Arya to hold.
Benji, Coralei, Theodore and Averie all get out together and they hold each others hands. Will holds Harlow's hand while RJ holds Luca's hand.
"Okay, let's all go inside. Remember, inside voices and no running around okay?" Will says softly to the kids and they nod.
Will, RJ and the kids are first greeted by Hank's siblings Kim, Steve, Donna, Jeri and Clint and in-laws, Paula, Donald and Danny. Will, RJ and the kids saw a few of them over the Christmas holiday but not all of them.
"Hank loved those kids so much. Such a proud Pop." Jeri says, hugging Will and RJ
"How have the kids been?" Danny asks, rubbing his wife Jeri's back.
"Benji, Averie and Coralei are taking it hard. Theodore and Harlow are upset but I don't know if they fully understand. Luca doesn't quite understand what's going on yet and of course the twins don't get it." Will says as Arya lays her head on Will's shoulder.
"Yeah, it must be tough, because they all don't really know how to deal with this type of thing yet; it's hardly happened." Jeri adds.
"Yes. But we let them know it's okay to feel very sad and even frustrated about the situation." Will nods solemnly.
Arya looks around at everything and stays quiet mostly, sensing how different the environment is inside. "Papi," she says softly.
Benji doesn't talk much, but politely greets anyone who says hello to him.
RJ comes over and hands Oliver to Will, taking Arya to hold instead.
"Me itty." Oliver loosely points at his bow to tell Danny and Jeri, not quite having that coordination.
"You are pretty." Will says with a smile.
"Wook at da flwowers!" Luca says as he points at the flowers.
"They are pretty aren't they? Everyone got these flowers for Pop." Will says to Luca and Luca smiles.
Will, RJ and the kids continue to greet aunts, uncles, cousins and friends before they walk over to Karen who is currently standing by the casket.
Benji turns away, still nearby but he doesn't want to see the casket.
"It's okay." RJ says as he notices their oldest child and hugs him.
"What do we do next?" Coralei asks curiously, feeling sad of course, but generally unsure about how the service proceeds.
"We are just waiting for more people to arrive and say their goodbyes and then the funeral service will start." RJ explains to Coralei.
"Aaaaa!" Arya screeches happily.
"Shhh." RJ says to Arya and Arya smiles at her Papi.
"Is someone talking?" Erin says as she smiles at her littlest niece.
"Yeah, she is! Ollie too!" RJ says with a chuckle.
"Jacob and I are so happy y'all are here. Especially Karen, she is so happy to have her grandbabies here." Erin says as she kisses Arya and then Coralei.
"Of course! We wouldn't have missed this. Will flew down here the moment he could." RJ says and Erin nods.
"I know but I know it was a lot for y'all to get here." Erin says and RJ nods.
"It was, but we got it done! Logan flew to California to help me bring the kids down and we are staying a few days." RJ says as he watches Logan holding Averie as they look at all of the pictures of Hank.
"Oh! Is that when we bury him?" Coralei asks RJ.
"Mhm! We will talk all about Pop, tell stories, say prayers and listen to songs. And then after that we all go get in ours cars to head to the cemetery to bury him." RJ says as Coralei hugs him.
"Oh okay! I remember we did that with Grandma Janice!" Coralei says and RJ nods.
"That's right! Hey, you can go hang out with Auntie Erin! She misses you." RJ says as Coralei smiles and walks over to Erin and sits with her.
Theodore, Harlow and Luca then happily run around and RJ quickly stops them.
"We don't run around in here, okay?" RJ to Theodore, Harlow and Luca.
"It's okay, RJ. They don't understand what's going on. Plus this is very boring for young kids." Will's Aunt Sharon says as the kids run over to her.
"Where's Karen?" RJ asks looking around for his mother-in-law.
"She, Will, Arya and Benji all went outside to get some air. I've been worried about her." Sharon says as she sighs sadly.
"Will and I are too. We are going to stay in Florida the rest of the week and then head back home. The kids' teachers gave us the work they will miss but said they don't have to do it." RJ says to Sharon.
"That's good. I know you and Will focus on the kids' schooling and that's wonderful. You guys have great kids. And aw, Karen will love that. She doesn't like being alone so having you guys will help for a few days." Sharon says and RJ nods.
"Ba baaaa!" Oliver babbles loudly.
"Yeah, Ollie! I know! and I love your little bow! It's so cute!" Sharon says as she smiles at Oliver and Oliver smiles back at her.
"He loves his sisters' bows. He won't take this one off." RJ says with a chuckle.
"Auntie Sharon! Wook at da flowers!" Harlow says to Sharon,
"I know! Aren't they so pretty? Pop got lots of flowers!" Sharon says to Harlow, holding her hand.
"Pop looks different!" Theodore says to Sharon.
"He does a little bit but that's okay. He's still your Pop and always will be. Remember he's an angel now, just like Grandma Janice is." Sharon says to the kids.
"Oh." Theodore nods, starting to understand more.
"Maybe Grandma Janice is hanging out with Pop." Harlow mentions, also trying to grasp the concept.
"Maybe." Sharon agrees.
Later, when some more guests arrive, the four people lingering outside came in. Benji looked like he was about to cry, but he didn't let himself do so.
Karen holds Arya close, kissing her cheeks and Arya lays her head on Karen's chest.
Will walks over to RJ and RJ smiles at Will before grabbing him into a tight hug.
"You okay, babe?" RJ asks in a whisper, kissing Will's cheek.
"I'm hanging in there. How are the kids?" Will asks RJ.
"They are doing pretty good! Averie and Coralei are hanging out with Erin, AJ, Logan, Jacob and Kaira while Aunt Sharon has Theodore, Harlow and Luca.
"Da da." Oliver says softly to Will.
"Hi, buddy. Where did your bow go?" Will asks Oliver and Oliver babbles.
"He was trying to eat it and that's a no no." RJ says to Will causing Will to chuckle.
"We can't eat the bows, silly boy. And the service is going to start in about fifteen minutes so let's get the kids seated." Will says to RJ.
"Me haiw." Oliver insists, wanting the bow again.
"I know. But if you don't try to eat it, l'll give the bow back." RJ compromises.
Oliver babbles in response, and RJ puts the bow back in his hair. The baby seems happy like that and stays quieter.
The family all gets seated, Oliver and Arya being in RJ and Will's laps of course so they don't go anywhere.
Benji leans against the seat, still trying to process everything. He turns to Will, tears in his eyes with a soft voice. "Dad, why'd this happen? It's not fair."
"It isn't fair and it was wrong what happened to Pop. We will just wait, hope and pray that Pop will get justice and that this person can't hurt anyone else." Will says to Benji softly.
Only Benji knows what truly happened to his Pop since he is a preteen and understands things more than his siblings.
Luca is sitting on Karen's lap, hugging her tightly while Coralei and Averie sit between Benji and RJ.
Harlow is sitting on Logan's lap while Theodore is sitting next to Logan.
As the services start, everyone listens respectfully. Coralei feels upset, but she pays close attention.
Karen rubs Luca's back gently, making sure he doesn't run off, though he stays with her.
There are a few people who say their words, like siblings of Hank, his son Jacob and close friends.
Averie is looking at all of the stained glass windows in admiration, not listening too much to the speakers but sitting quietly.
Will then goes up to the podium to speak with Will holding Arya. Arya babbles into the the microphone, causing everyone to awe and smile.
Will talks about how Hank was a wonderful stepfather, treating him as his own child since he doesn't have a father and loving his mother dearly after his mother's awful divorce.
Will also talks about small memories of each of his and RJ's children with Hank, making everyone laugh and smile.
"Hank always said that his greatest accomplishments were being a dad and being a grandfather." Will says as Arya says "Pop"
"You see a picture of Pop? Yeah, that's Pop!" Will says as he tears up.
After the funeral service and burial, Will, RJ and the kids all hang out with family, continuing to celebrate Hank's life.
- This next part is some of Will's stepdads actual obituary. I just made it different and deleted people's last names and locations!
William Henry "Hank" Riley, 56, was taken from us – tragically and without warning – on the morning of New Year's Eve 2022, in Cartersville, Georgia. He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend to so many; we are lost without him.
Hank was born on Yokota Air Force Base in Tachikawa, Japan, on Christmas Eve in 1966, to parents Bill and Tina.
The quintessential family man, Hank was a diehard fan of FSU football and a lifelong hunter and camper. He loved this country, and he intended on visiting as many national parks as possible. He was a craftsman who enjoyed home building projects and spending time with his wife, kids, grandkids and extended family, playing games and watching movies.
Hank was well-respected at work and led a successful career as General Services Manager with the Florida Office of the Attorney General. He was just a few years shy of retirement.
A selfless person, Hank was always there whenever anyone needed help.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; his daughter, Erin (AJ); his son, Jacob (Kaira); his stepsons, Logan; Will (RJ); grandchildren Benjamin, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Arya and Oliver; and siblings, Kim, Steve (Paula), Donna (Donald), Jeri (Danny), Clint; and sister-in-law, Sharon (Jerry). Hank also leaves behind 30 nieces and nephews.
This bewildering loss has left us, his family and his friends, in immeasurable agony. But the memory of his generosity, his infectious laugh and his unconditional love will continue to live through all who will miss him.
"Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from yesterday." - John Wayne
*Picture of Hank, Karen, Will and RJ from Will and RJ's wedding*
shep689 never thought I'd be writing this.
on Dec 31, i lost the most incredible stepfather a guy could ask for. my mom lost her husband, my siblings lost their father. he was an anchor of joy for our family and for anyone who knew him. i had so many questions i wanted to ask, so many boardgames i wanted to play, so many national parks i wanted to visit. i'll love you and miss you forever, Hank. ❤️
*The first picture is of three old Benji and Hank sitting on the floor playing with cars. The second picture is of toddler Coralei and Hank wearing crowns. The third picture is of Averie sitting on Hank's shoulders and they are both smiling. The fourth picture is of Theodore and Hank riding a lawnmower together. The fifth picture is of Harlow giving Hank a kiss. The sixth picture is of Hank holding baby Luca for the first time. The seventh picture is of Arya sitting on Hank's lap and she is playing with his nose. The eighth picture is of Oliver sleeping on Hank's chest. The ninth picture is of Benji, Coralei, Karen, Oliver, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Hank, Arya and Averie all sitting on the couch together.*
shep689 the best pop any grandkid could have asked for. he truly loved being a grandfather, it was one of his best accomplishments he said. he was Pop to @damnitrj and I's eight kids. the moment he found out he was going to be a grandfather was one of the best I'm thankful we have it on camera.
he loved the minute benji walked into his arms. he helped benji heal from his trauma that he had and was one of Benji's idols. Benji is truly heartbroken but is staying strong for his siblings. Coralei got him into princess things, even more then Erin ever did. he opened his arms with love to Averie when we brought her home, she called him "pop bear" she always said he was a big bear full of love. Hank was there as fast as he could after Harlow and Theodore were born. Theodore and Harlow were always held by him every time they saw him. he prayed for luca and i's survival when i had a placenta abruption and we both could have died. he and my mom stayed in california to help with the other kids while RJ and I focused on Luca. he took many weeks off of work and said "it was worth it to make sure my grandson and son were healthy" and finally he loved and adored Arya and Oliver, he spoiled them rotten this Christmas, their first and only Christmas with their Pop. Benji, Coralei, Averie, Theodore, Harlow, Luca, Arya and Oliver will forever miss their Pop and are heartbroken, especially Benji, Coralei, Averie and Theodore. Harlow is sad but still doesn't understand death just yet while Luca, Arya and Oliver have no idea what's going on but Luca knows Pop isn't around. 😢
*Picture of Averie, Theodore, Coralei, Will, Arya, RJ, Oliver, Harlow, Luca and Benji. Will is holding Arya and RJ is holding Oliver. They are all standing together*
damnitrj Celebrating Hank's life today with family and friends. We are heartbroken over his sudden passing and we hope justice will prevail.
*Picture of Averie, Harlow, Theodore, Oliver, Benji, Arya, Luca and Coralei all standing together. Oliver and Arya are sitting in a double stroller*
damnitrj These eight made Hank the proudest. He adored being their Pop. ❤️