Dear Carolyn, Dennis, children and extended Cory Family Our hearts go out to all of you for having lost your son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. The tribute you paid him was incredible. Your love for him and his love for everyone showed every minute. Thank you. Don't think of him as gone away. His journey just began. Life holds so many facets, this earth is only one. Just think of him as resting from sorrow and from tears. In a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days and years. Think how he must be wishing that we could know today, how nothing - but our sadness - can really pass away. And think of him as living, in our hearts and those he touched, for nothing loved is ever lost and he was loved so much! We pray in loving Memory to Cory we have known since Kindergarten and Comfort for those he left behind- God Bless and Give you Strength. Benny, Gisella, Talitha, T.J., Damien, Raven, Tyler and Jaden Thomas

Your memorial service was beautiful. Cory, you have no idea how much you will be missed. I feel like part of me is gone with you. I feel guilty for knowing I have to go on with my life but you arent here. I mean I just saw you and the last thing you said to me was we were going to hang out again soon. During our childhood, all of us were so close and I was looking forward to getting to know you all over again. You will always be in my memories and without a doubt I will never forget you. I look forward to the day we meet again. I love you always Cory!

Wow. That was a wonderful memorial service. I feel like I know you just a little bit better now. So sad I didn't get to know you more (I guess I could have if I had not flaked on Magic Mountain day, but I guess you still had fun!) Christian did a great job with the slide show. And the music choice and everything was PERFECT. Accept for the "technical difficulties" part...but oh well. Glad I got to take you out last time we played poker at Doyle's (how were you suppose to know I had pocket ace's) but I guess thats what you get for always goin "all in". I'm gonna miss seeing you around! Later Cory.

I just came home from your memorial service. Wow. Your brother loves you so much, Cory. I was in awe of all the time, and effort, and courage he put into today. You know what courage is, Cory--you wrote a paper on it once. You were courageous, and everyone who came to say goodbye to you today is courageous. It was awfully difficult. But you give us all strength--you even gave some of us the strength to get up in front of everyone and speak about you. There was so much love in that room. It was all yours. Thank so much, Cory--I was proud to see our Johnny Appleseed picture up there, too. Though, at the time, I remember you being to tired and cranky to think it was funny. Love you.

I know I will miss Cory. I wish I could have seen him more. I'm glad I got to introduce him to my wife. I was honored to play trombone in his band. We had such a good time in The Big Cheeze. I enjoyed playing chess with him and hanging out with him when I did. May the Lord be pleased to grant peace and comfort to his family.--Josh Brisby

I wish I could be in Cali right now with your other friends and your family. I keep thinking that some great inspirational words are going to come out of me and on to paper. In truth, words hold no comfort or consolation. They can bring only commiseration and maybe compassion? Grief is a selfish thing. We crawl inside ourselves and weep for what we have lost. No one else will know exactaly how we feel. We, in turn, will never fully appreciate how someone else feels. It always seemed odd that the people who share life also share grief. Life is for the living and you lived well. That's all anyone can really hope for, right? Because I knew you, I will live better. Thanks.

I've come to this site several times with the intention to write, but seeing you & reading all the many wonderful sentiments from all those who love you... I don't want any of this to be real; if I write you, then I'm finally admitting to saying goodbye. All my life, I recognized you were someone special; I knew your destiny would be wonderful, but I realize now that you were meant to inspire, touch, & impact all the lives surrounding you, and you've left life-altering impressions upon all the souls, hearts, & minds that were blessed to share your company. I keep thinking back to our childhood & how I'd always be so excited to see you during the holidays, family gatherings, etc. You were always full of passion; you were always advancing, always expanding, always learning. I am so thankful that I was able to see you, hug you, kiss you, & spend actual one-on-one time with you at Thanksgiving; that was such a beautiful day. I still laugh out loud when I think of the five times you snuck outside to listen to the football game in your car... You'll forever be in my heart & my thoughts turn toward you every single day, missing & loving you always, remembering your kindness & warm laughter...

words fail me...i've sat in front of your myspace for the last two weeks trying to write something to you. Cory, such a huge part of my life passed away. And i know it sounds selfish, but i have no one to do all those things that we would do together with. I watched the Kansas City game alone with your jersey, they lost, just like ol' times. I owe such a debt to you. You were and older brother to me. I admired, respetced, loved, hated, contested, competed with, and idealized you. You were the only person in the world that would argue with me just for the sake of arguing (which is exactly why i was arguing). You introduced me to all of my best friends including yourself! I will write you more soon, but as of this moment this has been proven to be bit to much for me. i love you and miss you -Coner

Good morning Cory. I'm here at the office, early as usual, although somewhat late for me. I will not be here tomorrow, because tomorrow is YOUR DAY, and I will be there with everyone else who loved and cherished knowing YOU. Your brother, Christian, has worked so tirelessly, virtually without sleep, to make sure the service is a tribute to YOU and YOUR LIFE. He LOVES YOU so much and he wants it to be perfect for YOU. I know YOU know how much he LOVES YOU and, of course, the same applies to YOUR MOTHER and ME. God, Cory, I want to wrap my arms around your zippered, hooded, fleece jacket and tell you how much I LOVE YOU and KISS YOU, but I will have to wait for another day to do that my son. Turning a few words around from the song "Come Tomorrow" by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, You'll Be My HERO and I'll be YOUR FRIEND. YOU, CORY, and CHRISTIAN and YOUR MOM will always be my HEROES. I will try to unlearn the "firmness" or "stiff upper lip" I learned from my father and work at being more understanding, attentive and compassionate to their needs, not mine. I will do that in tribute to YOU and the kind of person YOU ARE. Cory, I have to end this morning greeting because my emotions are more than I can handle at the moment. Please take care and have a good day, while remembering how much I LOVE YOU and ALWAYS LOVED YOU. Your father, always.

Dearest Family...Cory is off on a new journey and adventure. Truely he will be thought of always and with much love. What a gift he has left to all who knew him, to have known him and shared his life. We are unable to be physicially present at the memorial service but your Hawaii family will all be there spiritually with our arms around you to support you in your loss. He will always occupy a place in all our hearts. So much love we send your way.