William Joseph Fletcher Jr. Bill, Billy, Little Billy, most recently Uncle dolla Bill.

He was a man of sometimes harsh words, but was still a partner, a son, a father, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, and a friend among many other thing. Still loved. Still counted. A life. Still meaningful.

Many discount the lives of those lost as a result of addiction. You hear things like, "We figured this would happen" or contemplate the "could have beens". Focus is placed upon the path to death vs. the goodness in the life. In every life there is goodness. In Billy’s life there was good, Even when he couldn’t see it, it was there. It was in his time spent at home cooking with Sara or taking a random drive to anywhere. It was in his children, William and Gabriella. it was in his nephews evil laugh calling him Uncle dolla bill, once was a joke but soon became all Greyson called him, it was in family Vacations to the beach. It was in backyard cookouts at our parents. It was in camping trips as kids, ice skating in the backyard rink our dad built. It was in group text during the bruins games with mom and Emily: it was in cooking for himself or a crowd. It was in his perfect blue eyes.

He was a son, loved dearly by his parents who did everything they could to save him. When his parents couldn’t anymore he had aunts and uncles who helped him and stuck by him when others would have given up in the name of self-preservation. Myself included. We all hoped this time would be the last time. Our faith in God sustained us in this hope, just as we now hope for Billy to finally have the true peace he never experienced in this life on earth.

He was a loving soul, but a tortured soul, battling against a demon he was unable to tame despite years of trying.

We know now that perhaps the addiction beat him in this life, but God triumphs in the next life. Bill is now and forever will be at peace.