He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

“It’s a long, long road, from which there is no return. While we’re on the way to there, why not share? And the load doesn’t weigh me down at all. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” ~ The Hollies

I attended my brother’s funeral and celebration of life on Wednesday, June 10. Today’s blog is my tribute to him. To his impact on me, and so many countless others. I hope, dear reader, that my words have you present to the preciousness of life, to the unknowable time when death will come for each and every one of us. I hope my musings give you pause to reflect on the people in your life who love, support, and lift you up. Who carry you, because you ain’t heavy.

When contemplating the task of writing a favourite memory that might capture the essence of Steve, it feels almost impossible. Steve was our brother; Mister’s from birth and mine from much later. I met and fell in love with Mister in February of 2012 and when sharing his family history, stories of Steve seemed to me larger than life. Mister described his oldest brother with words like protective, loyal, passionate, and brilliant. He spoke with love and admiration for someone who lived life to the fullest.

When I met Steve in May of that same year, he gave me an immense bear hug, as if we were already good friends. He welcomed me unconditionally into the fold, simply because his brother had chosen me. His energy filled the room, grand stories told in a booming voice with emphatic gestures. I met his children soon after, and in the few years Mister and I lived on Vancouver Island I got to know the Steve Mister had described to me over Christmas celebrations in Mill Bay, a skiing trip in Whistler, and our wedding celebration the summer of 2014 in Shawnigan Lake.

In 2015 Mister and I moved to Saudi Arabia. Steve was working at Microsoft in Washington. But Steve had the same commitment to family as us and matched our efforts to create connections whenever humanly possible. I called him brother and he called me sister. When we flew to BC to celebrate my 50th birthday in 2016, Steve and his family joined us at Bear Mountain. Memories were made that Mister and I will cherish forever.

When Mister was sick, battling severe ulcerative colitis, we ended up moving to Winnipeg in November 2023. Steve came to visit in December, and again in October 2024 after Mister’s second surgery. Steve came over to our place and I put together a casual dinner last minute and we drank wine and shared stories. Steve opened his vulnerable heart, his emotions and passions filling the room with an intensity so authentic and true it broke my heart and mended it and broke it again and I loved him more than ever.

In January 2026 Mister and I felt an urgent desire to travel to Nuevo Vallarta to visit Steve and his partner. Steve was struggling valiantly with tremor disorder and bipolar instability, the doctors unable to figure out how to help him. Despite his serious challenges, Steve threw himself into engaging and entertaining us, sharing his love and passion for his life in Mexico. Mister and I are grateful for memories we created, never guessing we would soon discover the reason for Steve’s deteriorating health.

Mere months later, we were at a restaurant celebrating Mister’s 57th birthday when we got the call from Steve and the news of his brain cancer diagnosis. Steve arrived in Winnipeg on March 21st. We met him, his partner, and his nurse at the airport, and along with more members of the family admitted him to Grace hospital where he would be for the rest of his days on earth.

The number of visits, of heartwarming and heart wrenching memories are too numerable to list. Being able to accompany Steve on his journey was a privilege and a gift beyond measure that we will treasure forever. Steve showed us by his example what the word sacrifice really means, in a way no words can ever convey. We will miss him always. We will carry these memories with us for all of our days. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.

COMING UP…

Books & Projects:

·      In December 2025 I signed a contract with Austin Macauley Publishers for my manuscript, The Trials of Alex Anderson, a character-driven novel that explores the relationship between mental illness and trauma.  I am now on the road to publication, with an expected release date near the end of 2026. In February I worked with designers on the cover and its near completion. Last week I received the proofread manuscript for my review. Things are happening! I’ll be posting more updates here on  my blog and on social media, so stay tuned for more exciting new developments.

·      The Rogue Scorpion is available online at Amazon, Chapters-Indigo, and Barnes & Noble. You can also find it at select Chapters-Indigo and El Hombre de la Mancha bookstores.

Reviews & Interviews:

·      You can read, listen, or watch a large selection of reviews and interviews on my website.

Events:

·      There are no events currently scheduled in my calendar.

YouTube Channel:

Watch The Rogue Scorpion trailer