On Thursday, hundreds gathered to celebrate the all-too-short but amazing life of Josh Osborn, the 17-year-old South Kitsap High School student who drowned July 4 in a river near Mt. Rainer.
Josh’s mother Jennifer Osborn sent a statement on behalf of the
family following the candlelight vigil, which I share here with
you, along with information about fundraisers for the family
(below).
“There really are no words to express the pain our family is
feeling. A piece of our hearts is gone and no amount of time will
ever heal that.
“Josh was the most amazing son who touched everybody he met in some way. He lived his life to the fullest and put 100 percent into everything he did. His family, girlfriend Gianna and his friends were the most important things in his life. He held those relationships close to his heart and was fiercely protective of those he loved.
“His other love in life was football, he ate breathed slept
football. I remember how excited and proud we all were when he was
one of only a few sophomores to make the varsity roster at South
Kitsap High School.
“Our time with Josh will always be cherished and the sadness we
feel because of everything we will miss out on is unbearable. He
meant so much to so many people and will be deeply missed by all
who had the priveledge of knowing and loving him.
“His dad Brian, brother Jacob stepmom Mary Jo and myself would like to say thank you for all the love and support we have received from family, friends and the community. You have lifted us up in our time of need and for that we are forever grateful.
“Josh’s legacy will forever live on in our hearts. His sweet soul and beautiful smile will never be forgotten. We all feel his presence every minute of every day.
“Thank you all that came to the candlelight vigil. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced, and in that moment, as much as our hearts are hurting, we felt a sense of peace and joy.
“RIP my sweet little man cub. Our angel here on earth now our
angel in heaven. No words can ever express how much you were loved
but I know you knew that every day you were on this earth.”
— Faith Fulsoul, a family friend, is hosting an online fundraiser
at GoFundMe.com, www.gofundme.com/b4bag8. The goal is $25,000. The
site has more than 100,000 shares on Facebook.
— A spaghetti feed fundraiser is planned 4-8 p.m. Sunday at Christian Life Center, 1780 Lincoln Ave. SE, Port Orchard. It is $6 a plate with $1 a ticket raffle.
A car wash is planned 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 26 at The Frozen One frozen yogurt shop, 1800 Mile Hill Drive, Port Orchard.
— The Route 16 Running Club has included a memorial for Josh Osborn in beneficiaries of its annual Miracle Run 5K on Aug. 9 in Gig Harbor. At www.miraclerun5k.com, click “online registration” to designate a donation. The run begins at 9 a.m. at South Kitsap Regional Park, 2841 SE Lund Ave., Port Orchard.
