From Carmen

First I would like to express how completely touched, honored and humbled I am that the Weberlings gave me this opportunity to be up here to speak about my friend Hans today.

Every so often, you meet an individual that changes your entire perspective on life. Hans Nisula Weberling was one of those people for me. Instead of viewing life through a glass half empty, Hans’ glass positively runneth over. He was an extraordinary boy. Hans possessed that unique quality that made you feel completely at ease the instant you met him. Though you were initially stunned by learning he had cancer, hearing about the devastating side effects he had endured because of his years through so many treatments, you were just amazed by his strength and bravery. The grace that lived inside this young little man was one of the most astonishing miracles of all. It was the inner miracle in him that made him so special.

The short 4-lettered name, HANS, in German, means Gift of God. God is gracious. How fitting, this name given to the most special little guy (our Gift), that there ever was on this planet. He was Kevin and Lara’s son, but to myself and my husband,  Jim, and probably also to many of you out there, we felt of him as our son too, as we all scooped him up under our wings.

Most who knew Hans remember him as a smart, spunky, silly, fun, cool little kid, who was, I’d like to say.., a Transformer genius. But who loved, most of all, his entire family, his various pets, Kramer, or as Hans would say “Mamer”, Orange, Black, Cotton, and Honey, and probably a fish, frog or another small creature as well, the little “pet whisperer” that he was. He used to love to go the neighborhood pools and parks & playgrounds. A few times that little stinker liked to scare us half to death. On one or two occasions at the pool during the safety break, Hans still not 100% knowing how to swim, would just jump in the deep end, that little dare devil. We would run over as the lifeguards jumped in to grab him. He’d come up out of the water smiling big. I wanna say I remember they banned him from the pool, since he did it so many times. Or another time at Clover Park, when for what seemed like a life time, we thought Hans was lost, but to him...he had just strolled over to the outskirts of the park where we couldn’t see him. He loved just being a kid, playing his Xbox, Wii, Playstation, and building. I’ll never forget and I’ll miss the times where he would be over at our house while Lara would get in a dental check-up and run an errand. I loved hearing the boys in our man cave playing video games, Hans with his little laughs and silly giggles, and sometimes his screams of pure excitement as he’d be trying to take over the world during their games of Destroy All Humans, a video game that used to be Hansie’s favorite. I’ll miss his requests: Mountain Dew, Root beer, Capri suns and fruit snacks. I’ll miss his “Ms. Carmen’s?”. I love the fact that he wouldn’t let anything stop him, even if he was not feeling so hot, he’d still get out there on our backyard trampoline with his friends, smiling ear to ear as he bounced and laughed, or just ran around with his buddies. Hans, the little lover boy, always made the time to give me a goodbye hug with the cute little pat or two he would do on my back. And, we gathered through the years that Hansie was a big bosom lover… Never giving up the chance to hug up to a big-chested girl. Maybe his Dad’s genes had something to do with that. Also, a lot of you don’t know this about Hans but he had quite the “cursing” phase, and not the slip of little tiny innocent curse words, Hans did it his way - He went all the way. This fad of Hans’ began to stump Lara on what exactly to do about it. It definitely gave “the girls” all quite a laugh and acronym DF now has a lasting special meaning to all of us.

A few weeks back I had asked Hans’ two buddies, Michael and Ryan “If you could only pick one word to describe him what word would you pick?” Ryan answered: “FUN!” Michael’s answer: “HOPE!” A follow up later on was Ryan saying “Hans reminds you of Hope” and also “Hans was crazy.” Some words that come to my mind…LOVE AND LAUGHS….. H- Hero, happy go lucky, heart of gold, heartwarming A- Abundance of unconditional love N- a NEVER give up kind of kid S- Smart, Silly, Super, Strong. With his mom and dad and sister Elle, he lived his little life to the fullest.

But through his journey he taught us so very much.. How to be like himself, a kind and compassionate person, a fighter, a lover, a listener, a good loyal friend, and a good little brother. He could have taught us a thing or two in the kitchen, on the grill, baking, cooking meals - an all-around helper in the kitchen. He was tough as nails, never a complainer, always pushed forward as he went through treatments…a “git ‘er done kind of attitude” He endured so much that a little innocent child should never have to go through, he was probably stronger than any grown man out there. As we all know, he was Bad “As*,” especially during his Gang”sta” Hans period. Sporting those huge gold medallions and chain. So funny.

Hans, we can’t express in words of the affect that you have had upon us each individually, and as a family. You have touched us like no one else. We’ll always have a void in our heart, but will hang on to those times that we were lucky enough to have with you. Those memories and little visuals of your precious face will stay near and dear to our hearts. You will be forever missed. I envision you are having a blast up there in Heaven taking Mamer on walks and snuggling and playing ball with him. I also hope you are having fun rock climbing the tallest mountain.

Thanks Carm!  He loved all you Smileys so much!  xoxo