To Courtney’s family and loved ones, I’m thinking of you today and sending you love.

To Courtney’s family and loved ones, I’m thinking of you today and sending you love. I took some time today to reflect on how lucky and blessed I am to have known Courtney. He was such a positive part of my life in high school and I don’t think I would be where I am now without the encouragement and support he gave me back then (and how he managed to make everything ten times more fun). I remember him jumping in the giant pile of leaves we came across on a walk in Boston during a newspaper convention trip — he dove right in, totally exuberant, never mind the possibility of spiders or whatever else inside. I laughed so hard. It still makes me smile.

Happy birthday, Courtney.

– Cassie Stephenson