Charismatic, loving, beautiful, funny, son
Dylan was able to connect with almost everyone, no matter their walk of life. He could project the charisma of a handsome engaging yet possibly mysterious man, a strong worker with an athletic build, and an endearing pixie full of mischief, laughter, and fun. When Dylan felt safe to be genuine, his smile lit up a room. Dylan was just beginning the prime of his life and had so much potential.
When Dylan was a young child, he adored his older sister Corrine so much that he let her dress him up in anything. She remembers him fondly as a child making mud pies and building forts in the backyard. He loved being an uncle to his nephew Jonathon and niece Brielle. His sister remembers them taking golf cart rides and having a secret spot at the beach with Jonathan. They would go to the spot and talk and spend time together. Dylan would attend his baseball & football games when he could, and if not, he would call to see the outcome. Dylan always wanted to be remembered as the fun uncle, which he was because he was a kid at heart.
Dylan’s desire for the future was to have a farm. He loved animals, especially his cats. He enjoyed the freedom of being outdoors, riding his mother’s Harley, working the land, and helping his father in the landscaping business. The care that he showed in edging and striping while doing lawn care was reflective of his desire to make everyone happy.
As an adolescent Dylan first became involved in experimenting with drugs before it turned into using regularly. Once his addiction began he was never the same carefree boy he had been. He was a different person when using drugs as if his mind had been hijacked. The drugs made him impulsive, self-centered, and dangerous to himself, (leading him to engage in risky behaviors he would later be ashamed of). He struggled with trying to hold on to sobriety. The roller coaster of sobriety, relapse, jail, detox, and rehabilitation facilities only to repeat the cycle, consumed his mother. She never knew what to expect from one day to the next and she was terrified, always waiting for “that phone call”.
When he was able to maintain recovery for over a year, he texted inspirational messages every morning to an entire list of people who needed hope. He grew very close to his grandfather before he died, and even helped him dissolve his business. He had a strong desire to be a devoted uncle, a caring boyfriend to Bryn, and a loving, kind, hardworking man who was always available to help others. He loved spending time with his family, and rebuilding those relationships during his sobriety was of utmost importance to him.
This whole experience opened his mother’s eyes to seeing addiction as a disease. “Addiction is not the person. I now know and understand so much more. I miss his voice, laughter, love, and hugs. I miss hearing him every night say I love you. I know he is now healthy, happy, and finally not suffering anymore. I miss him terribly, but I feel peace knowing that he is not struggling every day, every second of his life, to be sober. “
Dylan’s sister Corrine, girlfriend Bryn, and mother Lisa Lewandowski provided the information for this narrative.
August 7, 1994- May 24, 2022 – Age 27
Portrait Artist: Maia Palmer
Narrative Writer: Lynn McKnight
