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"Reflections and Stories"
Page 2
More thoughts, memories and stories about Braden, and how he touched many lives.
Robin and Corey Vondrak
"Friends"Karen Grubel
I knew Braden more as a little boy than as a young man. I'll always remember our Christmas tree trimming parties with pizza and how fun Braden was as a child. I only wish I'd kept in touch better so I would have known him better as an adult. My prayers and thoughts are will all who love and miss him.
Aunt Nel and Uncle Bob
This past month we were stunned as God plucked one of our sons away from us. There cam an emergency call at work that Wed. A.M., that an auto accident had occurred and that Braden had collided with a truck on his way to St. Cloud. He was on his way to Minnesota that snowy morning to Surprise Carrie. He had just come home from Oxford early and he had left home at 5:00 A.M. to get to St. Cloud on time, as he had special plans! He had just enjoyed a wonderful summer with his beautiful sister Brinne as they explored Europe. He had enjoyed this semester of his Sr. year at Oxford College and the family had the opportunity to spend a week with him in the fall. Then over Thanksgiving, Carrie, his girlfriend, went over to visit and became his fiance. We remember Braden as a child who developed rapidly into a scholar and was pushing the educational standard by challenging college courses long before it was time.
We remember the young man who loved to sing, run like the wind cross country and drive that golf ball across the green. We remember the good times on family vacations to Omaha, Kansas City and many others as the years went by. It was wonderful to hear of all his accomplishments from his Mom, Dad and Sister as he charged through life full of fun and excitement. Only his grandfather could really share the meaning of the wonderful bond and relationship they had. It was just befoore Christmas and we believe that God needed a shining star to sit atop Heaven's beautiful Christmas Tree!
How could this happen to such a fine young man with such a promising future? What could be the purpose? Yes, we understand that it was Your will God, but how do we in our feeble understanding see Your will? Why would You take a son, a brother, a fiancee, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and a friend away from us? What good will come of our loss? How long we have enjoyed and cherished the many wonderful moments with Braden. And now we feel betrayed and alone. So God, what is around the corner as You unravel Your will? We are suffering in the loss, impatient to hear and see Your will unfold. Forgive us for our intolerance and misunderstanding as time after time we seek these questions and come up empty handed. Father, we look to You for strength and a clear understanding of Your purpose in our lives. Comfort and strengthen each one of us in this loss.
Braden, we loved you as our own and will miss you!
Nicole B.
Braden, thank you for touching my life. I remember as freshmen in Holes Hall when you would go down that one flight of stairs and go for a "walk." It took you an hour to get around our floor because you stopped to talk to everyone! I also remember stopping by to visit you during RA camp '97 and you were making door decs for your floor. I thought they were great! You remembered how much I liked that golf green and pin door dec and surprised me with it on my door the next day. You asked me for my door dec patterns for the states people were from . I never got them to you so I guess I owe you a stencil of the state of Minnesota (as well as others!) Braden, thanks so much for valuing each person in your life. God has a very special angel with him. May God bless you and keep you close always.
Rich Bares
Braden litterally saved my life when I was a freshman in College. I was in a very depressed state and he
helped me raise up to where I am today. He was always there for me when I needed him and I am absolutely
depressed now to be using the past tense. I realize that I am being selfesh in wanting him back, but who
wouldn't be? He was an inspirational friend and all of the memories that we had will never be
forgotten...here is a poem I wrote for Braden Bogue... Melissa Scott Mike Rogers I met Braden when I was a freshman at SCSU. He and Loren were roomies and I was on their floor.
I thought he was a little weird, but I chalked that up to being from Iowa. Since I grew up only 8 minutes from the
Iowa border with Minnesota, making fun on Iowa was a running joke with me. Anyway, Braden knew this and never cared.. he
just laughed at me and my silliness. We would constantly go back and forth about the Iowa thing. I would leave
him messages on his RA board about Iowa and he would know it was me. It was great fun. One of the best memories I
have of him was that one day out of the blue he gave me an old Iowa licence plate (the handicap coloured one). I
now have this plate hangin above my bedroom door so I never will forget Braden and what a great person he was.
Braden never stopped thinking about other people and he excelled at showing them he cared about them in unique ways
that one always remembers him for. I want to thank Braden for being part of my life. He is a great person and I miss him. Mark Freudenrich Braden was my RA my freshman year in the dorms. He completed the special year that I had on the Honors Floor (7th) in Holes Hall. During 1997
and 1998, I began to appreciate how good of a person he really was. He would drop anything he was doing to help me out. He showed us all that living a good, clean
life could co-exist with fun. That year was probably the best year of my life! I really wish I could remember some of those times better-
HE SAW ME
The last time we met it was as if he did not know me,
He would not acknowledge that I was there,
He would not even look at me,
He knew I was there, and I know he was content,
But he did not even move,
He was just there staring off into the heavens,
But I knew he was there,
And I know he was happy to know I was there,
But he was motionless,
Self absorbed, not wanting to be with anyone,
So many people were there,
But still no movement he would make,
It was sad to know he did not want to socialize,
It was sad to know he did not want to look at anyone,
But deep down I know he was happy to see everyone,
But he would just not look at them,
He was frozen, just staring, gazing with his eyes shut,
His arms at his side, his eyes shut,
He was motionless,
But he was glad I was there,
I know because he saw me.
Dedicated to: Braden Bogue
By: Rich Bares, December 24, 1999
Even as tears gush down
down my face in over flowing streams
I cry.
I also laugh.
Sometimes a small giggle or
an uncontrolled outburst.
It is in these moments
I realize
you will never really leave me.
You are with me now.
I feel your live presence
sneaking up on me
like you did everyday
to whisper in my ear or
blow air through my hair
long before I knew someone was there.
Your humor and spirit never cease
to amaze
even now.
I feel you
anxiously anticipating our next card game.
As will I
for the rest of my life.
The hours we spent
sharing
poetry, insight, stories
your trying so hard to teach me
things I wished I
would have
could have
learned from you.
You had so much to share with me.
I now wish
I could have
would have
written every word down
taken it all with me.
Not just the spoken word
also the wisdom you shared
through your eyes
your always joyful grins.
Everyday I hear your stories
of beloved peoples and adventures
that touched you
touched me.
It is then I realized how you impacted the lives
of many.
I recently was told a story
of you.
A stranger on the bus
who started a conversation
with another stranger.
Five minutes of chatter that this stranger
will always cherish.
The way you made her smile
laugh.
How many others are out there?
Many, thinking of you this way.
Wishing
They too knew your spirit
but
had least felt your kindness.
You are still
touching me on a daily basis.
You challenge me
to be a better person.
I strive to make you proud
to carry on
try to accomplish some of what you
would have done.
I see you every day.
I revisist my memories of you
as often as I can bear.
Your life inspires me
Your adventures challenge me
Your spirit will forever warm me.
I will never forget your face
smile
laugh
touch
heart or
mind.
You were
and always will be beyond beautiful life.
I truly love and miss you.
Love,
Lissa
I'll never forget when some of my floor members taped him inside his room, then called him out. He proceeded to crawl headfirst through the tape! It was hilarious.
After about 5 minutes of nonstop laughing, I really realized what a good sense of humor he brought to all of us, and it made me realize that most of us could never
be as nice as he was...
The fact that I still think about him during tough times (finals!) still makes me wish that I would have spent more time with him. I'll never forget the last time
I saw him... I hadn't seen him for a while, and he went out of his way to wish me a good summer, and that he was heading to Iowa-