HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LATE SON, DANIEL FRANCIS MCNAUGHTON BORN MAY 14th, 1957

      Happy Birthday, Danny. As evening closes, and I take the opportunity to reflect back on my life on a lot of nights, I say a prayer to God that he is taking care of you in heaven.
     Through devious means, your life was taken from you at the age of 30 in a manner that lives with me to this day and no doubt, will be with me until, and during, the time I die.
     I don't exclude your brother Allan Dale, born on Aug. 11th, 1959  who joined you there in Heaven on February 10th, 2009. caused by a brain tumor. But today this is your day and I want you to know how much I've missed you.
     I dream of what you and Allan and I might have accomplished together throughout our lives, if only things had been different.
     A lot of those bad turns in life were due to me taking them in bad decision making. But you're there with Allan, hopefully alongside your mother, and I'm still here.
     You did nothing wrong as you weaved your way through your life and I never saw you in trouble that you yourself, ever caused. I loved you, and miss you on this very special day.
     As I reflect back on our lives, I think of many things that, though you were just a boy, all seem like it was yesterday.
     I remember when you were so proud of having gone to the bathroom by yourself in the middle of the night, somewhere around the age of two. It was a day to remember.
     You gave me a lot of proud moments, Son.
     My memories go back to the days I returned from working in the mines in Butte Mont. and went back to the Construction branch with the Dept. of Highways. in Revelstoke, B.C. in the Fall of1965.
     You and Allan came to live with me in my 2-bedroom apartment at the ages of  8 and 6. It's a beautiful memory as my office work was only 200 ft. away from where we lived, and your School was close by too.
     Every night around 2 AM I would here the shuffling of both your feet as you would join me in my bedroom and snuggle up, one on each side.
     I loved you both so much in those moments and once when Allan said to me silently, "Daddy, I miss Mommy."  Nothing more was said, as we drifted off to sleep.
     A whole family was not to be. But my friends, Sonya and Mike Makayev were great surrogate parents to both of you when I was sometimes away with my work. ( I have to mention you were the best 'Big Brother' that Allan could have ever had through those times.)
     Not to forget our move to Fernie in 1969 where I went to work for Kaiser Steel Subsidiary, Kaiser Coal as they opened the biggest open pit Coal mine in North America at the time.
     There I got remarried, and we were soon joined by your sisters Leslie Kim and Alana Jean to make it one big family including 2 Step-children from my new wife, Mary.
     In 1970 at your age of 13, you sang a solo song in a talent show that involved grown-ups as well. I was so proud of you as you stepped out on the stage and sang the theme song from "My Fair Lady".
     It couldn't have been done by anyone better, as you received a prolonged standing ovation at the end.
     There are many more pleasant memories I cling to, and will write about as time marches on.
     Happy birthday once again, Danny! Love Dad.