Sean Philipp Thornton
May 13, 2006 - December 27, 2009

Sean Philipp Thornton
Our Happy Handsome Preschool Dude
May 13, 2006 – December 27, 2009

Dan and I couldn’t bring ourselves to eulogize Sean at the time of his funeral, as we still hoped that it was all a bad dream. However, it’s been almost a year since the accident now and the finality of the situation has become a reality. So, I’d like to say a few words about our amazing son who, in spite of his short life, touched many lives with smiles and love...

Our son Sean was a huge blessing in our life. He completed our family. We took his name from John Wayne’s character in the movie ‘The Quiet Man,’ mainly because we loved the sound of the name, but also because we were hoping that he would be a calm and Quiet baby. Although the quiet part was not to happen, we were rewarded with an extremely pleasant little guy who stole our hearts. His middle name was in honor of my father, Philipp Schweizer. We certainly hoped that he would be an intelligent and loving person like his Grandpa . Sean was a happy, outgoing kid right from the beginning. We often referred to him as our little Irish Politician. Sean had a wonderful sense of humor, much like his dad. If you would ask for a kiss or hug, he would say “no” and wait for you to pout about his refusal. Then, he would come running over and give you a big kiss and hug! He had his moments when his temper got the best of him, but he did have a lot of Irish blood in him!

Sean loved many things in life… lollipops, candy, gum, salad with ranch dressing, riding the battery operated John Deere Tractor around the yard, and, of course, toys. He also was particularly fond of, first Barney, then Elmo, and finally Handy Manny. But what he loved most was his family. Chris and Sarah were his best friends. You would often find him playing Barbies or dress-up with his sister. And just as often, we would find him over in his brother’s bed in the morning because he had crawled in after Chris fell asleep and snuggled up to him. Another of Sean’s favorite things was to have Dan get down on his hands and knees so that he could ride him around the house like a horse. Sean was already quite the charmer. He would melt my heart when, out of the blue, he would say, “Mommy, you look pretty today!”

With Sean, there was never any “warming-up” that needed to be done with his aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family. He loved them all and always greeted them with a smile. He did have a special place in his heart for many of you. In fact, each night as we would go to bed, we would pray, “God bless Mommy and Daddy, Chris and Sarah and Sean, Grandma and Pap Pap Thornton, Grandma and Grandpa Schweizer and ALL our relatives and friends!” After this, Sean would add his special prayers. This list varied, depending on with what people he had recently been in contact. However, the following people consistently made the list… “For Mommy and Daddy, my Grandmas, Grandpa, and my Pap Pap in Heaven. For Aunt Shirley, Jillian, and Aunt Karen’s Beach House.” I smile each night as I hear his voice in my head saying his prayers…
I look forward to the day when I will again be greeted by him and his smiling face and shining eyes and his great big hug as he screams “Mommy’s Home!” Of course, rather than after arriving home after a long day at work, this next greeting will have to come at the gates of Heaven. What better motivation is there to lead a life full of understanding, generosity and love, than to make it to heaven to see my little boy again! In the meantime, I try to focus on what Sean would want… to keep the memory of him a happy one! Chances are that he shared a smile with you and you can hold on to that memory until you meet up with him again...