Rosemary's Blog

At 10:44 am on September 16, 2012, Jeremiah Christopher Lauer was born to proud parents Chris and Amy Lauer in Alabama. What is the connection of this Jeremiah to my son Jeremiah Cottle Smith? The connection is one of love and friendship. The kind of friendship that survives this physical world. The kind of friendship in which my angel Jeremiah was the first one to know the precious little Jeremiah who was preparing to enter this world to give joy to his parents Chris and Amy along with his grandparents Dave and Judy Lauer. Jeremiah Christopher Lauer is the namesake of our son. What joy!! What a blessing!!

The Lauer family had four children and they lived in Beattyville, KY for many years until moving to Alabama. Their oldest child Jill was a close friend of our son Drew. They were in the same class and always were like brother and sister. The Lauer’s second child is Chris and he and our son jeremiah were the same age and very close friends. Chris and Jeremiah were like brothers. Jeremiah’s death weighed heavily on Chris over the years. The Lauer’s third child is Stephen and he and our third son Jordan have always been close. Jordan was a groomsman in Stephen’s wedding several years ago. Stephen has been a moral support for Jordan since his brothers were killed. The Lauers had a fourth child Holly who unfortunately had no Smith counterpart. She has always just been the Smith boys’ little sister.

One act of love and compassion always brings me to tears when I think of it. Picture all of us at the Lexington Cemetery on July 25, 1992. We are standing at the graveside service for our sons Drew and Jeremiah. How are we standing? How are we alive? How am I writing these words even today nearly twenty-two years later? Well, the service is over and Luther has said we have to leave or no one else will feel like they can leave. How can I leave my sons? I am forced to leave. As we are walking to our car, Dave and Judy Lauer came up to whisper in Luther’s ear. They said they were staying with the boys until everything was done! How in the world did they know what this one selfless act of love and compassion would mean to us over the years? I was abale to leave knowing our sons were not alone.

Now, twenty-one years later Chris Lauer has named his son Jeremiah. He was worried that this would upset us. Little did he know that this honor was another of those rare acts of compassion that carry us day to day. Isn’t precious Jeremiah just beautiful? I know his namesake is beaming with pride up in heaven. I have no doubt that he would have been his godfather here on earth had he still been alive. He will just have to watch over him from heaven.

I love you Jeremiah Lauer.

Rosemary Smith