Hey buddy if you need a like mind to distract you or comfort you when in North alabama message me. I will come to you or you can come here.

-Barrett
2 five six 297 zero 2 39

The out pouring of sympathy from this community is one thing that has helped me get through the most difficult period of my life. We had an intimate gathering localy in South Florida of friends and co workers...and you have to know that Diego drove 75 miles up from Miami Beach to attend.

We are all power boating enthusiest and share a family comraderie of spirit. I thank each and every one of you for your support and caring during this horrible ordeal....I have no words to express my gratitude....just know that your response has lifted me up.

Michelle was flown to Huntsville Al today and was transported to Sheffield, Al for services Friday.Michelle's closest sister and her husband followed along with me from Ft. Lauderdale...we stopped in Albany, Ga for the night and will finish our trip tomorrow.

Barrett...you will surely get a call from me....thanks for your thoughts.

I am as you can imagine still numb from this entire ordeal. After I lay my baby to rest I will take the longest, loneliest drive ever...back to South East Florida to pick up the pieces and get back to a very different life.

Thanks to my long time friend Tommy Hoffstetter for his support and taking care of the 255 while I am doing this.

Thanks again guys...you have helped me get though it and I am eternally grateful.

John...aka Sprink58

May she RIP.

John like i said before, we are all here for you and your family during these troubling times, if theres anything i or any one us can do, feel free to give me a call, we are all a boater family together. No matter what we do on other threads we all pull together when our family needs help. My heart and prayer go out to you, as for the long drive back just always remember gone for now but never forever, one day you will meet again this time theres no worrys, no pains, just eternal life.

John,
I can't add anything to what has been said already. OSO is definitely a big family that I'm proud to be a part of, and if you need anything while passing through Central Fl. give me a call. 407.552.9614
Jody

Hi sprink,

I am so sorry about you wife Michelle May God watch over her and take care of her, whille she's home........

DARREN US1

John,
My heart and prayers are with you and both of y'alls families.
As we can never guess God's plans for us we can only remember the moments and rejoice in that we'll all be reunited with our loved ones in a much better place.
May he shower you and y'alls families with his heavenly graces at this difficult time.
We're all here for you and the families in any manner necessary.

Kelly

May she RIP! I can't even imagine the pain you are in right now! My prayers are with you and your family.

John: Get a Book on CD to listen to take your mind off the lonlryness on the drive back. It will make the drive go so much faster..

Best of luck, your friends and family are there for support.

Wannabe

So sorry for your loss, John. Our prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.

Very sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers.

Thanks guys. .you really lift me up.

We laid my baby girl to rest next to her twin sister today. ..I gave her eulogy at the funeral home and had a friend who's a minister give it at grave side. I played The Dance by Garth Brooks ..though it was veryy fitting.

Probably headed back tomorrow. I'll let you know. If I can I am taking the 255 out Sunday.

Wow, Sprink, just read through this thread. My deepest of condolences goes out to you and your family....
jr.

God Bless you John, I hope he gives you the strength to get thru this terrible tragedy!

Jeff

john,i cant imagine the pain you are feeling,stay strong,i will pray for her,you and your family.

Saturday Morning...about to leave and point my needle south...back to South Florida.....my home.

Rest In Peace my darling Michelle...see you in the after life.

Memories will become Treasures ,

I am finaly back in South Florida...nice and warm...70 degrees at 3:30 pm.

I am at frigging Six Suites extended stay...not what im used to.

If I can get to the 255 I will go out Sunday ...if not I will find something to do to get all this off my mind.

Sincerely thank each of you for your continued support during this time..thee very worst 8 days of my life. You are playing a big part in my sanity maintenance.

Beautiful weather today John, hopefully you take the 255 out! Take care.

Emotional rollercoaster
 

Hi John, You are going to go through many stages, rage, anger, depression to name a few. I keep a picture of my wife on my dresser and smile at her every night before I go to bed and every morning when I get up. Your memories of times with your wife will get you through these difficult times. anytime you want to talk about it just pm for my number. , incidentally on my profile it says Too Soon. You'll understand what that means
Ray

Prayers for you sprink. It hurts just to think about what your going through. May you find peace and strength to carry on. God bless.

After we had a bit of private time together...I eulogised Michelle to frieds and family...fighting back the tears..I got thru it and played Garth Brooks "The Dance" I think the Lyrics are appropriate for Michelle and me. Our pain was MS.

Looking back on the memory of
the dance we shared 'neath the stars above;
For a moment all the world was right.
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye?

And now, I'm glad I didn't know
the way it all would end, the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance;
I could have missed the pain,
but I'd have had to miss the dance.

Holding you I held everything.
For a moment wasn't I the king
If I'd only known how the king would fall,
Hey, who's to say - you know I might have changed it all.

And now, I'm glad I didn't know
the way it all would end, the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance;
I could have missed the pain,
but I'd have had to miss the dance.

Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ru1M6dY0cY

Perfect Mr. Sprink ........

John, just wanted you to know you were still in our thoughts and prayers and hoping the pain is easing a little for you. Hang in there brother.

I just saw this and am truly sorry for you loss,,, our thought n prayers are with you..

Sam

Thanks so much for your continued concern for me ....I realy do appreciate each and every response.

Today I was finaly able to cut the red tape of the local hospital here in Coral Springs to have her medical records relesed. The allowed me to secure a Certificate of Death from our Dr. He wanted to see the circumstances surrounding her passing and sat with me while he prepared the form....very tough stuff guys...I hope none of you ever have to experience what I have with Michelle's passing.

The Cert of Death allows me to do several things including removing her from my Health Insurance (No kidding...Obamacare requires a valid reason for a person to drop their coverage) as well as transfer the title and registration of her car to me.

It has been a tough day but not quite as bad as yesterday. Tonight I have taken my dog Blackjack for several walks and been on the phone with my brother and brother in law and I find this to be comforting. Guys ....I hope to either get down to the Miami Boat Show this weekend or ( Iwould rather) get out in the 255. I talked to Tom Hofstetter Sr (Tommy's Dad) Sunday and Tommy today...I might help Tommy a bit if need be at the show this weekend...I'm available to him at his asking...he is a great friend.

I don't know what I would do without you guys...means the world to me.

John we are all here for ya. I wanted to make the show but this divorce thing shredded me financially. Every day will be tough, hopefully the next day will be slightly easier than yesterday!! I truly want you to know I'm here and will do whatever I can to help!! Keep looking forward and feeling her in your heart as it is where she always was and always will be!!

Michelle...baby if are reading this...look...there have been 10,400 plus reads about you with over 140 replies to your thread...just from the Offshore Only community.

Michelle (Left) and her Twin Mareesa ...happier times

Beautiful picture John!!

Very sorry for your loss. To save you some further heartaches down the road. Get extra certified copies of the Death Certificate. Most places will not accept a copy machine copy. I found it very hard to tell people who had just lost a loved one we had to have a certified copy.

Some more pics thru the years of my Wife, Life Partner, Business Partner, Lover and best friend.

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps685a21fa.jpg

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...psd1b91b24.jpg

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps4decc23d.jpg

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps3d226da7.jpg

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps17b98ed6.jpg

The last picture was with Michelle (left) her dog Andre and twin Mareesa. Their dog Andre had been stolen and her Mom and Dad put this pic of the twins and Andre in the local paper asking the thief to PLEASE return Andre to two heart broken little gifrls. Miraculously...Andre appeared on their front porch the next morning with a note that said "I am so sorry".

I love you forever Baby Girl.

when you choose to love someone and spend your life with them, you are sentencing yourself or them to having to deal with losing the other one. there is no good ending. there are bad ones and worse ones. she didn't have to go down hill for a year while some debilitating disease tore her apart slowly. and you two didn't have to stare at that impending end and have go on with life while pretending it was gonna be ok. she curled up next to her man the other night... and just didn't have to worry anymore. you didn't get to say goodbye to each other, but she didn't have to suffer. that should be worth something to you. she didn't miss the dance, but she got to miss the pain. if this is out of line I apologize. Derek.

A very nice tribute for a special person in your life.

john, this is so sad, the song brought tears thinking of going thru this, i lost my dad in may of 2013. its hard to lose anyone especially a wife, parent, or worse a child, god bless you and we are all thinking of you. also shes is beautiful. not was is cause theres a day when you will see her again, but this time it will be for eternity.

No...no I think you are spot on. We were mature adults when we made the choices we made. I feel for certain I gave her more of a life than she would have had without me. There are very few guys that would roll the dice on MS...there are those that do as well as other diseases....women also that stick with their men. The MS forum is full of women whose spouses bailed on them. MS is predominantly a disease that preys on women 2:1 over men...no one knows why...it is what it is. I learned a lot about it in the past 20 years. It is one of the most under diagnosed diseases. There are many that have it and don't know it...then there are those that don't want to know which is a fools game. With modern medecine and treatment a resonably normal life can be expected....but only if you catch it early.

We caught it early and fought it...had the movers not stolen her MS Beta Seron Medecine thinking it was something else this probably would not have happened...it took me a week to get a refil because of the special nature of the drug. I am bitter and will have my day through the legal system. In the meantime...I deal with the grief and will always miss my baby. We had 21 good years and I am thankful for that. My emotions control me and that's normal I have been told since it has only been ten days.

I am more than grateful to all of you for your kind words and support in this the worst experience of my life.

Very sorry to hear of your loss and I can only imagine your pain, but with Gods grace you will see her again soon. I wish you and your family well.

Robert

I miss my Michelle on Valentines Day...very tough.

Just know I am thinking of you. I will be out on the 255 tomorrow...a beautiful South Florida Winter Day...you will be on my mind...won't be the same without you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ru1M6dY0cY

She is still with you, always in your heart.

+1

Sprink, sorry for your tragic loss, she is a beautiful woman that will always be there with you no matter where you go. Just the thought of losing my First Mate, my best friend is at the very least sobering. Hang in there friend!

Rick