My First Best Friend

The next person that has helped us so much in our story of is my brother, Nik. Nik is my younger brother by 2 and half years (even though he won’t admit it). We have our moments of disagreement but he will always be there for me no matter what. He was my first best friend.

Let me tell you his story.

Nik was born on October 1, 1991. Like all boys born in the Osiek/Alden clan he gave my parents a run for their money. Nik has a funny thing that happens to his heart when he is sick. It started when he was in my mother’s womb. He misses a heartbeat. This concerned the doctor’s in Vernal so him and my mother were life lighted to Salt Lake City. Nik was born at the University of Utah. The doctor’s thought they were going to have to operate on him and put in a artificial pacemaker. He was born and nothing was wrong. He was perfect (Don’t tell him I said that he already has a big head).

Nik is the good American boy. He played football and ran track. His heart doesn’t give him any troubles except when he is sick he misses a heart beat. Nik attend college briefly at Lincoln College of Technology in Denver, Colorado. He attend there for a bit before coming back to our home town of Vernal.

In 2011, he met the love of his life and my best sister-in-law, Kendal Roll. Kendal is from the small town of Altamont, Utah. She has been a breath of fresh air to our family. Kendal was an athlete like Nik. She played volleyball. Her main passion is crafts. This girl is crazy good at crafts and pretty much can do anything. She has done a couple of Madilynn’s birthday cakes over the years.

Nik and Kendal married in August 24, 2013. Their wedding was beautiful and it came at a time when love was in the air….and my brother still had some hair. Did you see what I did there? I made a funny and I rhymed.

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Nik and Kendal are an amazingly strong couple. But I don’t think anything could have prepared them for the loss of Kelly Roll, Kendal’s father. Kendal showed me what great strength it can take in a woman to rally the troops and give her dad a great send off. Thank you Kendal for showing me how life still can be beautiful even with a big loss.

Fynn’s death shook us to the core. Will and I were so shocked we couldn’t really function. I had called my mom and told her what had happened and they set off from Vernal to be with us. She called my brother and him and Kendal dropped everything and drove 7 hours to be with us when we needed them most. They were a great distraction and help with dealing with every thing surrounding Fynn’s passing. Nik even made sure I got my favorite donuts. I love them both so much.

A month after Fynn had passed away Nik had called to check on me. I told him I don’t know how I am going to do this. I couldn’t stop crying and I was just feeling so empty. He told me “You are never going to get over it, Sonnee, but you are going to live with it and keep going because that is what us Osieks/Aldens do.” So here is my toast to my baby brother. We may fight like cats and dogs but mess with either of us and we will show you the true Osiek temper. Love you baby brother to the moon and back.