brother no longer suffering

My brother passed away due to liver failure Saturday (5/6/06) at 11:45pm.  I was with him at the time, along with his roommate. our Uncle and several of his friends.  Of course there were several there in spirit that couldnt be there physically. 

The owner of the company I work for loaned me his motorhome and I was staying in it so I could be close "just in case".  I didnt want to be driving from my house with the knowledge he had little time.  It is at least a 20 min drive if Im lucky.  I would have gotten in an accident.  So Saturday night, my uncle drove me over to the RV park where I was staying.  He had been staying with me there but he decided to stay at my brothers so his roommate could get some rest.  At 10:42pm, I got the call to "get there as soon as I can".  Thank goodness I was in the motorhome and only 5 minutes away.  That 5 minute drive seemed like an eternity.

Im glad he isnt suffering anymore.  But selfishly I wanted him to stay here with me forever.  He is my only full sibling and my older brother and protector.  My only other family in the area is our Uncle who lives in LA.  Everyone thinks that is close by but he is at least an hour or two from where I live thanks to traffic.  Im hoping this will serve to keep us in touch more in the months and years ahead.  This Uncle was our moms brother and he was also very close to her and us growing up.  He was there for us when she died in 1988.  And he was here for me and my brother now. 

My brother is now with my mom and grandma in a better place watching over me. 

We are planning on having a "memorial" / "celebration" the day after his birthday in June.  He would have been 44 on June 10.  He also throughout his illness been going to school and working towards his AA degree in Fine Arts.  He was a couple credits shy when his health took a drastic turn.  We are trying to get them to award him his degree anyway so we can give it to him at that memorial.