Until We Meet Again

Jul 03, 2026

The Saturday afternoon sun came through the window, bathing the hospital room in a soft light. The sound of the oxygen machine whirred in the background as William scrawled the words, “I love you ALL” on a piece of paper. He was awake for the first time in days, the sedative that had been helping him accept the breathing tube in his throat having been reduced, allowing him to become conscious. His light brown eyes sparkled with tears and mischief. We got to see our William. We got to interact with him when we thought we never would again. That afternoon, Aimee, Nichole and I (his mama Lauren) spent hours with him as he scrawled funny, loving, sassy notes to us and made song requests. Time was short and we all knew it. We made a point of soaking up every second, laughing and crying and simply being together. William’s lungs were failing and there was nothing the doctors could do to stop it. We soaked up our time. Wrapped ourselves in the love of all of it and enjoyed the time we had with this man we all loved.
As we came to the end of the afternoon, William chose to have the breathing tube removed. He wanted to eat some ice cream (his favorite food), and talk to us and say the things he wanted and needed to say. Nothing deep and meaningful. Simply mundane and funny stuff. To hear his voice one more time was an unimaginable gift. He got to tell Cici and Livvie how much he loved them and was able to give them hugs. We only had an hour before he was sedated to stop the suffocating cough that was the price for removing the tube. And that was the last time we got to look into his eyes and he could look into ours.
In the early hours of Sunday, June 28th, William Crook, my sweet, loving, courageous boy passed quietly and peacefully into the next chapter. Too soon. Much too soon.
He was loved beyond measure and is deeply missed every minute of every day.
Nichole and the girls are finding their way but it’s not easy. If you’re so inclined, in lieu of flowers or food, you can send a donation to the family. It will help them as they figure out how to navigate their lives without their anchor.

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