02/26/2020
My beautiful brother Craig, founder and creator of Larz Dog Products, died last Friday after a 2 year battle against Glioblastoma. Until the end, Craig lived his life fully, with great optimism, joy, courage, creativity, energy, and humor. He fought this implacable, cruel disease with everything he had and, for two years after his diagnosis, he lived symptom-free. We all knew, though, that eventually the cancer would exert its control and win the war. Even then, though, when the cancer had finally exploded through his brain, Craig hung on much longer than anyone expected. Finally, though, on the night of February 21st, Craig took his last breath and made his final transition.
Craig was, very simply, one of the best people I have ever met. He was genuinely and truly kind - it was his default response to almost all situations. Everyone who has contacted me after Craig's death has mentioned Craig's innate kindness as one of the qualities they loved most about him. He was a dreamer with the creativity and inventiveness to actively pursue his dreams, but without the cutthroat drive necessary to compete in the business world. He wrote absolutely beautiful poetry and songs, he was a wonderful, graceful athlete, naturally excelling at any sport he tried. Craig also had a wicked, witty sense of humor, often spurring people into fits of uncontrollable laughter (Craig once inspired us to such raucous laughter that we were asked to leave a restaurant because we were disturbing the other guests!). Most of all, though, Craig was a loving, affectionate, giving, supportive, kind, dedicated brother, uncle, father, and grandfather. He fervently loved all of his family, but the greatest joys in his life were his daughter, Lindsey, who he loved more than life itself, and his dear, dear granddaughter, Juniper, for whom he would have happily given his life. During the last week of Craig's life, Juniper told her mother that she wanted to visit her PaPa in the hospital. Craig was in very bad shape - emaciated, delusional, and so, so sick. Juniper, our dear little soul, ran straight to him and jumped into bed with him. Craig rallied for the last time, he actually smiled, laughed a little, and hugged his little girl as hard as he could. His love for Lindsey and Juniper broke through his misery and gave him glimmers of brightness through his darkest hours.
Time ran out for Craig before he could realize his dreams and, most tragically, before he could see his granddaughter grow up. He left behind moments of pure, crystalline joy, laughter, and love and a lifetime of memories that will live on with his family. As Juniper wisely said, "he will live in our hearts forever". Good-bye, dear brother, I will miss you more than words can tell.