Bryson, whose heart was too big for this world, has been called to a bigger, brighter more important purpose. He needed to be free to love in the way only Bryson could.
Bryson was passionate. Passionate about dirt bikes and riding dirt bikes – it was where he felt the most free. He loved boating and jet skiing, snowboarding and wakeboarding, camping and spending time outdoors with his mom and stepdad. He was passionate about school…okay, maybe not! He loved to go to Florida and Michigan, playing video games and was learning how to fix engines and dirt bikes. He had a job (we can’t say he enjoyed that), but he liked his co-workers a lot. He LOVED his dogs. He loved music, especially Eminem and lil peep and spending time with his girlfriend and all of his friends.
Bryson was accepting of everyone and everything. Bryson’s smile could melt your heart. He gave the best hugs. Bryson always seemed to know when you needed a reason to smile and he could always make you laugh. He will be so very missed by all who ever had the privilege to know him. Rest in peace sweet Bryson.
Bryson is survived by many who miss him so much, his loving parents, Lori (Eric) VanSickle and Brian (Emily) Dodd, his grandparents, Mike Dodd, Carol Cummings, Rich and Melody Underwood, and Jim and Linda VanSickle, his aunts and uncles, Kevin Dodd, Paige (Brad) Ryan, Patrick (Briana) Dodd, Jon (Jen) Underwood, Shane (Leslie) Cummings, Chad (Cris) Cummings, Andrea Kubik, Larry VanSickle, and Tracey Kearney, his cousins, Samantha (Frank) Fluharty, Kacie (Hunter) Mastronardi, Sydney and Sarah Ryan, Charlotte Dodd, Brock and Ina Underwood, Joe and Lucas Kubik, Kyle and Brittney Cummings, Connor and Cooper Cummings, and many dear friends.
He is preceded in death by his grandmother, Sue Dodd, his grandfather Greg Cummings, his uncle Matt VanSickle, and his Uncle Michael Dodd, Jr., who we know have greeted him with open and loving arms in heaven (except maybe Uncle Michael who probably greeted him with a headlock and a noogie).
The family has so many fond memories and stories that will forever keep us smiling and laughing…
Favorite Bryson quotes and sayings:
- When Bryson would tell his mom he loved her, she would say, “love you more” and his guaranteed response was always, “probably”
- “Do you want it Bryson clean or like, Eric clean”, when he was asked to clean up his room or the garage
- “I wouldn’t shit my favorite turd”, Bryson would say to his mom when trying to get her to believe his story
- “Sydney, just love your animal” to describe the stuffed thing (it was so ugly none of us knew what it was), that Sydney won the time they played the claw machine and Sydney kept losing but Bryson and Sarah kept winning.
- “Emily, you need to be a man and take chances”
- “You can’t handle the goodness” (to describe his ice cream when he wouldn’t share it with the adults)
- “That’s how we roll” (getting ready for Easter mass when he and Sarah were already strapped in the car ready to go and we couldn’t find them)
- Telling Sarah to “church it up” (when mom said her outfit wasn’t churchy enough)
- Misquoting the Menard’s jingle in his strongest singing voice, “Save big mommy at the Nard”
Favorite “Bryson, put your clothes on!” stories:
- When Brian couldn’t convince him (at 5 a.m. in the airport on the way to Fla) that wearing underwear on airplanes was a law
- 1st grade school play he had to change into his costume with the other kids backstage and couldn’t because he didn’t have underwear on
- Also, in 1st grade, the call from his teacher asking that we remind Bryson that peeing outside at recess was probably not okay
- The first time Aunt Bri was invited over, a naked Bryson came streaking past with Brian in tow yelling at him to put clothes on because company was coming (he learned “naked baby” dance from his cousin Syd)
Other fond memories:
- Telling his mom she has no excuse to be late now that she drives a Jeep…curbs, ditches, zero excuses…but she still got him to school late
- Dancing at Patrick and Bri’s wedding with Uncle Paigey to Miley Cyrus and telling her “I can’t believe I’m doing this…don’t you dare tell my friends”
- Teasing his cousin Sammie (who works for Subway) that Jimmie John’s is waaaay better
- 2-year old Charlotte exclaiming, “look, it’s a firefighter” when he came in the door wearing a bucket hat and the huge smile that put on Bryson’s face
- Bryson would find a million different ways to scare his mom with this rubber snake, and BTW, we found it with it’s head sticking out from under his dresser
- He liked to tease Uncle Paigey – lately he would send her videos of dirt bike crashes just to get a rise out of her; when he was younger, it was a rubber snake – on her pillow, hidden in a drawer, or just thrown into her lap just to see her jump and scream
- Sydney shushing Bryson during his confirmation ceremony (she was his sponsor) because he kept talking to her
- When Bryson was in 7th grade and his high school “girlfriend” Alex Lenko and Syd took him for ice cream when he broke both his arms
- Couldn’t convince Bryson to do homework, but he finished his boater’s course in record time so he could drive the new jet ski
- Taking his cousins and his Papa Dodd for a ride in his new truck – he was so proud!
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