Every Christmas when I was younger, my grandmother (Randall's aunt) and I would go to my great-grandmother's house. We ate Christmas dinner, opened presents, talked to each other and took pictures of everyone.

One particular Christmas at my great-grandmother's, when Randall and I were kids, we decided to walk down the road, looking at the houses lit up with Christmas lights, in the dark.

When we were coming back toward the house, Randall and I were talking. Sadly I don't remember what we were talking about. We were talking one moment and then it got quiet. I looked around and Randall had disappeared. I decided to stop and was about to call out his name when he jumped out behind a tree and said "Boo!" I guess I was the type of kid that got scared easily because when he said "Boo", I jumped and then he laughed.

My grandmother and I lived in a town in Central Florida, whereas his mother, his siblings, and he lived in a town near Gainesville and Jacksonville. We didn't get to see each other alot but when we did, it was great. I loved being around him.

I was 4 years younger than him, which should have put us on separate ends of earth, so to speak. He was an older boy, and I was a younger girl. I didn't care that he was 4 years older than me, he was my favorite cousin. It's been 14 years and I miss him greatly to this day.

I wish I could have seen him more if I had known he was going to pass away in 1997. And I regret not signing his casket at his funeral. I should have realized that that was the last time I was gonna be near him and signing his casket would have been my goodbye to him. I think of that everytime I think of him.

Tell my mom, my baby brother and sister, my grandpa, and DJ that I think about them all the time.

I miss ya, cuz…I love ya and miss ya so much. I can't wait to see you again one day.

Love, Jessi.

Randall G Maddox