Andre

Andre was my best friend in highschool. I had three. Two girls and Andre.

We all sang in choir together and three of us went to church together. Every morning on our way to school my sophmore year, by mom and I would pick Andre up. Then one of my other best friends moved onto his street so she took him to school our junior year. Then he got a car.

Andre was an amazing singer and musician. He was an amazing friend. He was an amazing person.

If you ever watched 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' then you might have seen Carlton do the 'Carlton' dance. Andre could do the 'Carlton' and we loved it when he did.

Andre would let himself into our house via the keypad on our garage door, he had the code, would make himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and would sit at our coffee table watching tv, eating his sandwich, and drinking a big glass of milk. My dad would come home and find him there and it never crossed Andre's mind that this was weird.

Andre was the mascot for our highschool. Our mascot is the Fighting Chick. As in chicken. A big purple chicken with a gold head. Andre was great at it.

Andre could hang out with anyone and usually did.

And Andre loved Jesus.

Andre would be turning 30 today. However, God chose to take him home in October of 2002.

Andre began his battle with lung cancer in 1998. He was not a smoker and was documented as the youngest person ever with this type of lung cancer. And everytime the opportunity arose to speak with someone about his situation he used it to share the love of Christ.

Andre attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK and while there got to sing a duet with Nicole Nordeman when she came to do a concert.

Andre was an inspiration to us all. I miss him, but I know that I will see him again. That's a wonderful promise we have in Christ.

Bridget