White water rafting on the Snake River in Wyoming

Favorite Vacation Moment

Yellowstone Park, WY

by rowanfam March 26, 2008

Danny takes the Big Kahuna!

My favorite vacation moment is when our entire group went white water rafting on the Snake River on our trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. We were lucky enough to plan a trip with four other families for a motor home caravan excursion to Yellowstone National Park. Our group included three related families with nine cousins ranging from ages seven to fifteen and two close dear families with five children from ages nine to fourteen. All of these families have spent wonderful times camping together since the children were born.

I will never forget the three rafts filled with children and adults vying to get to the Big Kahuna first. The Big Kahuna was considered a "class 4" experience. No one could stop talking about what lucky kid would get the chance to ride the Big Kahuna. We felt it appropriate since Danny was the oldest child on our raft, Danny should take it. As Danny was launched ferociously into the air and as he grasped the rope tied to the bow of the raft, we laughed so hard, we could barely keep ourselves from being catapulted out of the raft. Danny was beaming with a smile from ear to ear and proud to substantiate his role as the eldest cousin and one to forever set the path of fearlessness for the other cousins to follow. We will always treasure that time and that trip.

The reason that will forever be etched into our memories is because less the two weeks after returning from that trip, Danny was tragically killed.

On August 29th, 2007, a day that will never rest easy with us for the rest of our lives, Danny was killed when riding his bike to school to pick up his class schedule for the upcoming school year. Danny was fourteen years old when he was killed. A twenty year old man, when allegedly under the influence of opiates and text messaging a drug deal at the time of impact, ran his pickup truck into Danny launching him 100 feet and killing him instantly.

We count our blessings that we were able to take this vacation with Danny. We got to share the most happy moments of Danny's life all together and we get to hold on to those memories and the memory of Danny flailing in the air as he screamed with joy and laughter as he took the Big Kahuna!

Note: I have a picture of Danny riding the Big Kahuna being sent to me but, I don't think it will get to me by Mar. 31 which is the end of the contest.