Packing in the Life: Far Too Fast
Last Summer, I lost a friend who passed away in a boating accident. His name was Bryan Howard Kapschull. He was a good and far from simple man, with a heart that many swore was made out of gold. He was taken from his family and friends far too soon, at the tragically young age of 30. Since I heard the news I can’t help but think about how short life is for everyone.
A common thread that we all share is the fact that none of us really knows when our time here will truly be up.
My friend Bryan packed a lot of years into his life. He was a talented drummer who followed his passions in life. He moved up to Vermont and landed a job at Magic Hat Brewery and worked his way up to Brew Master. 
Photos Courtesy of Sarah Golden
His obituary says it best:
Bryan Howard Kapschull, age 30, of Waymart, PA and Grand Isle, VT, left us during the early hours of Sunday, August 17, 2008. His trademark spontaneity and sense of adventure took him out into a canoe under a full moon but for some inconceivable reason was unable to return. Bryan will be missed to a degree that is simply beyond the capacity of language. His smile and laughter were utterly infections, his wit razor sharp, and his compassion a complete gift to anyone who was lucky enough to know him. No one who ever spent even a moment with him was spared from being utterly charmed and delighted by his company, nor will anyone ever regard him in any way but with deep fondness.
Bryan in survived by his parents Cathy and Charles Kapschull, his grandmother Molly Bellen, his sister and brother-in-law Jenna and Sean Fitzpatrick, and his partner and soul mate Sarah Golden. He is loved and missed by an incredible extended family, wonderful friends, everyone at the Magic Hat Brewing Company, and two dogs: an eccentric little orange fellow named Willy and his ever-shedding and loving step-dog Mingus. Celebrations of his life will be taking place in both his home town and in Burlington.
We all knew his heart was just a little too big for this world; we just wish he hadn’t had to leave us so soon.
Some of us believe in an After Life, some of us don’t and some of us are optimistic yet still unsure. Without sounding too much like a preacher I think it is safe to say that there are moments in life that we all take for granted. Some of us try to live every moment as if it was our last, but how many of us truly do it.
How many of us waste hours on Facebook, or waste valuable time fighting with family members instead of loving them for the differences that we are able to have with them in that moment.
My personal goal in life can only be to attempt to pack as much life into my years as Bryan was able to do in his 30 years and impact as many lives as my friend Bryan did.
He will forever be alive as my inspiration.
ProLong Magazine’s goal is to help you get the most out of your life. We hope to provide you with tools that you can use to increase the years in your life. Please come back often and interact.
Thanks
-Jim
