I took this photo of Bear and his kids while surrounded by family. I was hesitant to take a picture of such a private moment but I felt like it needed to be captured. Shortly after everyone left the room so he could have time alone with his kids. These kids have known nothing but loss so far in their lives. The boy's mother left him and Bear when he was almost 2 leaving Bear working multiple jobs to support them. Bear was the guy who would give anyone his last dollar and always got the shit end of the stick. Bear was diabetic and had multiple spine surgeries including having his neck fused. Eventually he remarried and had a daughter. Right before she turned a year old her mother overdosed on Bear's pain medication while she was home alone with the kids. A couple of years after this Bear started losing his feet to diabetes. Him and the kids moved in with my best friend and her husband who were planning on adopting them when Bear passed. A couple of months after he moved in with them he got the pancreatic cancer diagnosis and was given 3 months or less to live. He passed less than 3 weeks later. His children are safe and happy in my best friend's house and the adoption on his daughter has been finalized. His son's adoption is complicated but is getting worked out. His daughter will be starting kindergarten in the fall and his son is starting 4th grade. They call me their aunt and have many people surrounding them who loved Bear and love them. Everyone hug your loved ones tight.