The greatest memory of your loved one is also your greatest strength. During times of grief, your memories and tears are all the weapons you need. My brother had so many friends who considered him "family", and they were pleased to share their best memories of him. I have my own share of them–two, to be exact.

Memory 1:

Matt loved to pull practical jokes on my younger brother and I when we were younger. One Christmastime ago, he gave my younger brother and I two gifts,–both movies–but he switched them.

My younger brother opened his gift, only to see that Matt had given him Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus.

I opened mine, and I got Star Wars Episode IX: Revenge of the Sith. "Um, Matthew, has there been a mistake?" I asked him, with a huge question mark dangling over my head.

"No, there has not," he chuckled. He glanced at my younger brother. "You said that you love Barbie, dude."

"Oh, you are bad," said my younger brother. He smacked Matthew on the shoulder.

"I know," Matt replied.

Memory 2:

My second greatest memory of Matthew was again during Christmas. My younger brother and I shared it at his service. There were rumors that Matt would not be able to come home, but then one night, while Mom, Dad, my younger brother, and I were watching a movie, my younger brother felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He pulled it out, checked the collar ID, and then left the room. Only a few minutes later, he returned and waved me out to the hallway.

"Excuse me," I said to Mom and Dad. I followed him into the laundry room. "What's up?"

My brother showed me his phone. "Let me tell you a secret, Vika. I've been keeping in touch with Matt. He's on his way right now to come home for Christmas. I need to pick him up at the airport, so I want you to keep Mom and Dad distracted."

"We're going to surprise them," I concluded.

My brother nodded. "We are. Keep your phone on you, and I'll text you when we pull into the driveway."

With that in mind, I returned to Mom and Dad.

"Is everything okay?" they asked.

"Fine," I replied. "Let's continue the movie."

An hour of silence passed, and then my own phone vibrated. "We're here," was my younger brother's message.

"I'll be right back," I said to Mom and Dad. They had no idea what was going on. I got up from my chair and left the room. I stepped outside to the cool, winter morning and met up with Matt and my younger brother at my younger brother's car. "Matt!" I yelled.

He gave me a huge grin. "Hey, Vika!"

He and I embraced. I led my brothers to the house's front door. We made sure to utter not a sound and went inside. "Mom, Dad," I called, "can you come out for a second?" Tee and I were about to give him the surprise of their lives.

The sounds of their feet soon overtook the silent atmosphere, as they started down the hallway.

My younger brother and I stood on either side of Matthew. We were both nervous and excited.

Mom and Dad soon made it to us. They took one look at Matt, and their jaws dropped. Tears appeared in the corners of their eyes.

"Matthew!" Mom said.

"Matthew!" Dad said after her.

"I'm home," he announced.

"But... How?"

Matt placed a hand on mine and my younger brother's shoulder. "They did it."

This is one of the greatest memories I have of Matthew. Just seeing Mom and Dad's faces light up made the whole night. Later, they told us that the best gift they got that year was when my younger brother and I snuck Matthew home. That remains mine, too, of that Christmas.