01.31.06
Making a Lucas CD
Please see the link in the Pages section (under the welcome – in the upper right hand corner of the website) about the CD that Lane and I are making for Lucas if you are interested.
01.27.06
Senior Football Season
Football is important to the Harris family. It is important to the State of Alabama. It is important to Saint James School. To say football is important to Lucas is an understatement. It was kinda’ understood that Lucas would go to Auburn when he graduated but Jerry and I tried to give him some exposure to life outside Alabama by sending him to Lawrenceville for a post graduate year of school. He went to Lawrenceville on a football “arrangement”. Jerry’s letter to Lawrenceville – February 1998- tells of the success of Lucas as a senior at Saint James in football.
“Lucas is the youngest of 4 children, and all have graduated from the same private school (K-12) with many of the same teachers. Expectations have always been extremely high for Lucas from this school because of the academic success of his siblings. His two older brothers have graduated from MIT and his sister is a junior at Vanderbilt. In short, he has had “tough acts to follow” academically. Lucas may have chosen athletics as an avenue to excel, to move past “the shadow” of his older siblings. If this was the intent, then he has certainly cast his own shadow.
His football team voted him permanent captain before the season started and they voted him the most valuable player at the end of the season. He was voted by the coaches the most valuable player in the Capital City Conference. The area coaches voted him the most valuable player in the tri-county Montgomery area. And, he was selected 2nd team All-State Linebacker. For the first time in 26 years his school (STJ) defeated every team in the conference and advanced to the 2nd round of the state playoffs with a 9-3 record. But the real success for Lucas was developing leadership skills that were evident in every game. ”
Some of my most vivid memories of Lucas are watching him on the football field. I will never forget him in the ACA game at ACA run down the scat-back for ACA from 50 yards away and pick him up by the shoulder and throw him down to the ground to keep him from scoring a go-ahead touchdown. It was the first game of the season and I know that one play set the tone of victory for that game and maybe for the whole season. Saint James was lead by Lucas that year in each and every game. His was voted by the Montgomery Quarterback club as “Private School Player of the Year”, which allowed us to meet and eat dinner with Daemon Craig quarterback from Auburn who was voted the “College Player of the Year”.
Jerry got Daemon and Lucas to pose for a picture as we left that night…. Lucas was proud of himself that night as were Jerry, I and Pops who got to go with us to receive this award.
01.24.06
Such a great guy
I was thinking this morning what a wonderful thing this site is and how it is a very true testament to what an awesome person Lucas was.
The thing that is most telling is there is such a range of people who have posted things here – not just his friends and family, but also people who only knew him for a short time, or people who started off as just a friend of his family or friends but who once they met Lucas became part of his life. Not many people I know have left such a mark on everyone they came in contact with. There is no one else I can think of that made such a strong impression on so many different people.
01.20.06
Olla Podrida 1999
The summer of 2004 when Lucas came up to NYC, he brought his Lawrenceville yearbook with him so he could have contact information to try and get in touch with some of the folks that lived up here. The two of us spent about 2 or 3 hours going through it together, I don’t think he had looked at it in a really long time, because he was laughing out loud at pictures and the senior pages. He made sure to show me a picture of Britney, Lester and De Bie and a few others. We never had really talked about L’ville that much – 9 months is a pretty short time to be somewhere. I know he had good times up there, but at the same time he really missed the South and had to endure one more year of high school rules.
Anways, he left his yearbook here so I go through it sometimes. Since he was a senior again, he got to leave his mark in this year book at well as STJ’s. I thought I would share what he wrote, even though y’all don’t know the people he is talking about, it is still nice to read something in his own words – I can definitely hear him in these.
Lawrenceville has definitely been an experience. Thank you Mom and Dad for allowing me to come to such a place. Football team: I enjoyed playing with all you guys to bad we didnit have a better season, remember FSU. It was nice to have people from other countries constantly pointing out my accent, and throwing things at my head, thank you Naseem. Devin please keep sending me those good emails, I could always count on you to make me throw-up. Connie Winant you will always be my dream girl. Chris R “Where is my gun?” Tim V, Charlie, Austin screw yall I got a test somorrow. I hope sometime soon I get to visit you Sarah W. in the delta. Quinn cheer up! Lester “wake and bake”. Tim Sullivan keep shooting that rock you can do it man. It was nice to have a friend from Alabama to laugh at all those damn Yankees, thanks Crawford War Damn Eagle. Cameron that is definitely fatty bumbatti. Brue look at my tooth it doesnit glow. Treiser you are a hell of guy who will always have my respect, good luck. Led Zepplin is pretty good, Not as good as the panic(De Bie). Hugh thanks for putting up with me on this essay. Phil Trout if you and Gillian ever break up could you put in a good word for me? Powell if the south would have won we would have had it made. Caleb and Zach go wear some ski mask. West we will meet again my friend. Seniors I will always remember this year of my life, you are always welcome to come and visit me in Dixieland. Hardly a competent workman (Chisuano you are an exception) can be found who does not devote a considerable amount of time to studying just how slowly he can work and still convince his employer that he is going at a good pace – Frederick W. Taylor. Most people think great God will come from the sky Take ev’rything, and make ev’rybody feel high. But if you know what life is worth You would look for yours on earth. And now you see the light You stand up for your right, yeah! – Bob Marley
I think that last part he used as his senior quote at STJ as well. He was also voted most unpredictable. I don’t know whether to burst into tears at that one, or just laugh.
01.17.06
Crazy Bills Fireworks!
Rob and I were recently driving around the midwest and I kept seeing fireworks trailers. I had forgotton how much those *Crazy Bills Fireworks* trailers remind me of Lucas. When we were little, he was OBSESSED with fireworks. I don’t know if that is just a boy thing, especially because Gabe and Chance seemed to like them a lot also or what, but he would go nuts to go to those trailers and buy fireworks. Especially if we were with my grandparents, I guess they were more easily pestered into it and I also think both grandads thought it was pretty funny.
Anyways, my favorite fireworks memory is this one time that the Stanfords took all of us kids (me, lucas, stacie, stefanie and toby) to Crazy Bills. I think I was about 8 and Lucas was 6. We all piled into their station wagon to make the trip. We spent a long time in the trailer, running around, picking out the craziest looking things we could find, and then buying as much as we could. About half way back home, the Stanford kids are still jabbering away, and I start thinking…hmmm…this is still too quiet, where is Lucas?? I go into an absolute panic as I realize that Lucas is most definitely NOT in the car. I notify Glen and Glenda, and they kind of chuckle as they go to turn the car around. By the time we pull into the parking lot, I am in tears, I can’t believe that we have forgotten him there, he is going to be so scared etc…..we go back into the fireworks trailer and of course, Lucas could not have cared less that we had all been gone for at least 15 minutes – more time in the fireworks store for him! He is sitting on the fold-up chair right by the cash register, I guess the owners had told him to sit down and wait for us, with all of his firework loot in his hands ready for purchase and keeping all the staff highly entertained. I guess Glen and Glenda knew that would be the case, because they just laughed, and I just tried to calm down and not worry so much.
The Stanfords were our closest childhood friends, we moved away from them when I was 10 and Lucas was 8 and I rarely saw them after that age. But of course Lucas, being Lucas, always knew what they were up to. Sadly, Toby was killed in a car accident in April 2005. Lucas was in NYC when he found out and we were shocked. Lucas went to the funeral and told me it was one of the saddest things he had ever seen, he just had no idea what to say to Stacie and Stefanie. My love goes out to his family. Maybe Lucas and Toby are somewhere blowing up fireworks together.
01.10.06
Sweet Luke!
Lucas was not only my boyfriend…..he was my best friend! He had a contagious smile that could get anyone through the day. Lucas had the biggest heart of anyone that I have ever met. He had the ability to brighten anyones day no matter how bad of a mood they were in. All he had to do was bust out his famous laugh and everything was automatically better. I have so many fun memories of Lucas that I cannot pinpoint just one. The memory that stands out the most was his love for Pops. In Milbrook, Pops left his motorized scooter wheelchair and Lucas would zip around on that silly thing and chase Foxy and Bear around the house. Judy mom would come every Wednesday and clean and sometimes I would help her. He would sometimes follow us around on the device and ask what we were doing and be really happy that he did not have to do any deep cleaning. I think that the cleaning days were his favorite because he would get to spend quality time with his mom.
I also remember his tumbling abilities. He would do front flips on any piece of furniture that was padded. I guess he learned that at the Armory. ( Lauren I know that you know what I am talking about) 🙂 Who could ever forget his infamous night night blanket and his love for Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Ben Harper, Clarence Carter, and the movie Crossroads with the guy from the karate kid in it. I think I had to watch that movie about seven or eight times.
Lucas was such an easygoing guy. This was very apparent in the way that he dressed. He could make mismatched and hand me down clothes even look good! When we went to New York on his birthday to visit Tarlie and Rob we went shopping and Tarlie and I wanted to get him a shirt. He was so mad about the prices and told us that Mr. Harris, Gabe, and Chance’s cloothes were just fine. He was whining one day because Tarlie and I wanted to site see and all Tarlie had to say was the magic word……barbecue and his worries were over.
Lucas I want to thank you for loving me and always making me smile! I hope that you are happy and hanging out with Pops. You will always be with me every where I go and I will always love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lucas, Tarlie, Gabe and Chance
Hi, Tarlie. I hope you remember me, Miwako who was an exchange student from Japan and stayed in your place during the year 1992-1993.
I received the email from JudiMom today and be informed about this site.
As we all know, Lucas had a nice smile, sense of humor and warm heart.
To me, Lucas is only a 12-year-old boy. Thank you for you website, I had a chance to see many photos of grown-up Lucas. He sure is very handsome young man.
You should be proud of your brother.
In my days in Montgomery, I and Lucas often had a nice talk. He was sometimes my English teacher.
I guess I may have some story about him that you do not know.
Lucas: Isn’t that Tarlie an unusual name?
Miwako: I am not sure. But maybe. I never heard of the name “Tarlie” before.
Lucas: Yes! It is very rare name, so as Chance and Gabe. I think their names are cool.
Miwako: How about “Lucas”?
Lucas: How about “Miwako” in Japan?
We both laughed each other. He also told me that his full name was “John Lucas”.
Tarlie, Lucas, your younger brother was very proud of you and your big brothers.
He was a very good boy.
I will try to visit the site to share the good memory of Lucas.
Miwako
01.02.06
Time goes by
My child, my sweet son, my baby. I t has been 5 months to the day. I cry every day. I don’t know why, but I know you did not want us to linger in sorrow, even though we still do. You loved life, friends, family, fun, dogs, football, dancing, singing and laughing. I don’t understand how you think we can go on with those things without you, but we must. I wake each day missing you and wishing I could change what I said, thought or did but you are still gone no matter what fantasy I have in my head. Each joy I have in life, I owe to you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being my child, I so wish you were still here for me to take care of. But you are not. I love you, as you are now. Please.. love, me, I did the best I could do. I love you, Lucas…….mom