From Nate's sister Alysia...

...(via her FB page):

The trial date is September 17th. The defense is going to try to say that Nate was a reckless driver and an irresponsible, party guy. Even if that was true would it change the fact that a 16 yr old idiot that didn't know how to drive pulled out in front of him?! Would it make Nate's life LESS valuable and therefore make that boy less culpable?! I am beyond enraged.

I knew Nate for a billion years and I'm trying to figure out what would make him an "irresponsible party guy". Was it because he just happened to be a bouncer at a strip club? Was it because he didn't get home till 4am on Sunday mornings (because that's when his shift was over at the strip club). Was it because he had a motorcycle and a car but he preferred to ride his motorcycle? Was it because he and his other bike-riding friends would take bike trips to North Georgia and even cross country? <>That sounds like a crazy, irresponsible party < / sarcasm>.

Nate was a good guy. In fact, Nate was one of the best guys I had ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was always a gentleman (to me), he was modest about his amazing bass skills and thought he wasn't all that great. Ever since I was 17, I remember telling him how great he was. Sure, we had our moments but he always took the high road - even when I was acting like a bratty teenager. (Cut me some slack, I was a teenager after all!) Even when we reconnected a few years ago, there was nothing out of the ordinary in his life. Sure, he worked at a strip club but so what! That didn't make him a criminal. Sure, he had motorcycles but that didn't make him a danger to society. Nate always took his motorcycle riding seriously. I know that for a fact because we talked in depth about one of his longer bike trips that he had just made. The guys he rode with were like brothers - they all made sure everyone was safe and having a good time. Nate was very clear on the safety part (because I made a friendly dig at his nerdy "safety first" speech).
But the above statement from Alysia hurts me. Nate wasn't a reckless driver or an irresponsible party guy. What a cheap jab. I mean, that 16 year old kid did take a life and he should get some kind of jail time for that. And I'm pretty sure that that kid had just gotten his driver's license, too. Talk about reckless driver.
I'm thankful every day that my Mom made me wait until I was 18 to drive. It makes sense now (back when I was 16, it didn't, obviously). I was more responsible when I was 18 and because I was driving my Mom's car, I was super careful about driving. God knows what would have happened if I had wrecked that thing (or run somebody over with it).
Nate was a great guy and this "party guy" defense thing is killing me. I hope I can be in court that day to show my support for Nate and his family.

Love and kisses,
Katzi
S.L.Y.A.S.D.I.

A Visit to Nate's Memorial

I had been trying to get to Nate's memorial for a few days now and I just couldn't. I would get halfway there and start crying and shaking and I'd have to turn around. I knew I had to go and do something...see where he took his last breath...see where it happened...see if maybe I could channel something. So I decided that I would visit yesterday.
On the way there I got nauseous, anxious, started crying, was happy all of a sudden, started to shake and felt dizzy. What if I didn't want to see the skid marks on the road? What if I wasn't ready to feel the energy that was there? I distracted myself with the Oldies station and kept going, stopping only to get multi - colour daisies.
Why multi - colour daisies? Because! Nate was a colourful person! I watched him evolve from super hardcore religious to Marylin Manson kid to rockabilly guy and everything else in between - including multiple colourful hairstyles. Also, I knew that if Nate had been watching me pick the flowers, he would have blushed over the colourfulness of them. They're not manly AT ALL. But they are a nice contrast to the black roses that Alysia placed there and I felt that they spoke to his vibrant personality.
I hope you like them, Nate!





I'd like to do something else for his memorial, though. Something...grand maybe? We'll see who else wants to do it with me.

Love,
Katzi
S.L.Y.A.S.D.I.

At a loss for words

I can't get myself to write this on his wall: "To me, you were always a big guy with an even bigger heart. I'll miss you".
I refuse to believe that he's gone. I was going to surprise him at his job tomorrow as a post-birthday outing with my friends... I guess some things weren't meant to happen.
The news hasn't released his name as the fatality of the accident so there's some hope it's not him, right?
I can't do this.
He was supposed to take me for a motorcycle ride - my very first one. Ever.
We've been friends since 1995 - I've seen him evolve over time. I was even subjected to his damn Rockabilly phase - which happened right after his damn Marilyn Manson phase...
When a mutual friend sent me the news link, I cried. Hard. I'm at work. I can barely function right now. I'm a total wreck.
And I don't care that it's my birthday. I just don't want to believe it's true.
I can't bring myself to admit it. I just want to make sure. I've been watching the news clips over and over just to make it more real but it won't hit me until they release his name. I refuse to believe he was the 27 year old motorcyclist (even though I know full well that he lives in that area...).
If he really is gone, he can hear me. He can hear the sadness and disbelief we're all going through. I want some sort of sign. Something that just he and I will know - some sort of inside joke from high school or something...Something to let me know

Rest In Peace, Nate
Love,
Katzi
S.L.Y.A.S.D.I.