| Name at birth: | Sean Michael O’Brien |
| Date of birth: | Feburary 25, 1972 |
| Place of birth: | Fontana, CA |
| Date of death: | Nov. 20, 1995 |
| Place of death: | West Covina, CA |
| Resting place: | Holy Cross Cemetary, Pomona, CA |
| Submitted by: | Donna Wothersponn (DWotherspoon@wow.com) |
JOURNEY OF THE FISH
By Sean M. O'Brien
I am the fish.
Death and birth is my role.
Back from the past, an old caring soul.
For I am two, one never seen.
A seacher of souls, dirty and clean.
This is the fish trapped inside of thee,
a endless journey with mountains to climb,
The life and death swim, till the end of time.
With forbidden wishom, seeing things unknown.
For the fish has the answers to what's never shown.
The first me, here on earth lost and scared,
And the second me, past and furture,
watching for the justice sign. . .
For the King that is Holy,
Show his face,
And begins to end time.
This poem was written by my deeply sensitive son some months before he took his own life. He was a loving, kind, young man who was just too beautiful for this world.
Sean’s life ment something, he touched so many lives. He will live in our hearts always. I pray he found the peace in his eternal life that escaped him in this one.
A grieving mother
I’M FREE – Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free. I’m following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard him call. I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day. To laugh, to love to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way. I found that place at the close of the day. If my parting has left a void. Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss. Ah yes, these things, I too will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow. I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life’s been full, I savored much. Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch. Perhaps my time seemed all too brief. Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me, God wanted me now, he set me free. – Author Unknown
Sean M. O’Brien was born to Donna and Philip O’Brien on February 25, 1992 in Fontana, California. He was the oldest of three children and is survived by his mother, Donna, his step father, Jeff, and his sisters Debra Lee Ward and Nicole Michelle Wotherspoon. He is also survived by his grandparents, Bob and Jeanne Rhome, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins who all love him very much. In his brief life, Sean did many things: Did auto detail work, volunteered for many organizations and did little theater work. He was very concerned about the homeless and mindful of the needs of others. It is never right for someone only 23 years of age to be no longer living in this world but I feel my son competed his work here on earth. His life mattered. He touched so many people in his short life. But death is supposed to come to old people. Never should it come to one so young, and certainly never should anyone take their own life. I have learned in my journey of grief that all suicides have a common consequence; they cause all the survivors to think that maybe they could have done something to have prevented it from happening. I have come to believe that a suicide is an emotional accident. It is the turmoil and inner unhappiness and confusion that a person is suffering and the hopelessness of where they are at the time that drives them to destroy them selves. Only God knows the pain my son was living with that drove him to take his own life. Sean was a delightful child who grew up to be and loving, kind, and sensitive young man. He spent his life giving of himself and helping ours. He endured numerous tragedies in his short life. He saw his father killed in a hang gliding accident when he was four. Although he did escaped with his life, he was kidnaped when he was eighteen. Sean loved unconditional. He never said a disrespectful word to me in his life.
Sean, being my first born, was my greatness joy. And now my deepest sorrow. On the night he died the joy that fill my heart on the night he was born died with him when he took his own life. If I could rid my soul of the intense grief and sorrow I must carry in my heart the rest of my life but in return I would have to give up all the beautiful memories that I have of him I wouldn’t do it. How empty my life would have been without him. In my life time I have been loved unconditionally but someone very special. Not very many people can say that, but I can. A dear friend of mine who conducted my son’s funeral wrote this poem in his memory.
IN LOVING MEMORY – Today we said “goodbye,” to a loving gentle friend. We may never understand, why his short life had to end. We’ll miss his handsome face, his warmth and delightful ways. Those who know him best, will remember all their days. Some special thoughtful kindness, a word, a smile, a deed. Reaching out a helping hand, each time he saw a need. And though our hearts are heavy, and our eyes are filled with tears, we know the Lord will help us, heal our grief down through the years. We know that he’s with Jesus, in God’s heaven up above. To all of us remaining, Sean left a legacy of love. For love will never die! It will ever bloom and grow, with a beauty that increases, though the years may come and go. We will miss his smiling presence, often with that he were here. But we’ll try to fill our hearts, with the memories we hold so dear.
WRITTEN IN MEMORY OF SEAN M. O’BRIEN, the son of my good friend Donna Wotherspoon By Lorie Pope Pauly, November 28, 1995.
Sean I will always love you, mom – Donna R. Wotherspoon,
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