Blake Cameron Fleischner
This website is a tribute to the life of our very dear friend, Blake Cameron Fleischner. Blake left us on Friday, December 21, 2007, but his spirit will live forever within our hearts and minds. Blake was a very rare and unique soul who brought incredible joy and happiness into this world. The purpose of this website is to keep Blake's memory alive, and share his story so that he may continue to bless the lives of others. We love you so very much, Blake, and you will NEVER be forgotten!
On Friday, December 28, 2007, Blake's funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tulsa. His father's final letter to Blake was his eulogy..final thoughts to Blake on behalf of himself, his mother, and sister. The eulogy was read by Father Jack Gleason.
This is Blake's eulogy.
In preparing the video for the Vigil, we realized what a Wonderful Life Blake had lived. In many ways, it was extremely therapeutic to watch his life unfold as we selected photos and video from his childhood to the present.
We were honored to hear his friends talk about him last Sunday afternoon. They laughed and they cried. And we knew how truly blessed he was to have them in his life. And we consider ourselves privileged to have family and friends who loved him as we loved him.
And just what were some of the things Blake loved about life? Well, will you humor us for a moment and we'll tell you. Besides, since Blake loved humor and it was one of his greatest gifts, I think he'd be pleased for us to share these with you. And if you laugh, and we hope you do, they come courtesy one more time from Blake.
Blake loved his big sister, Lauren. He was so proud of her and her accomplishments. In fact, he was in awe of her. He'd tease with us that she was the "Golden Girl," which meant that he would have to be the "Bronze Boy," grinning the entire time from ear to ear. He loved you, Laur, and he knew how much you loved him.
He loved playing golf with me, Tom and Kyle Revere. There was a time Tom and I could win easily, but as Blake and Kyle grew older, the stroke margin grew closer, until finally it was Tom and I who were consistently at the bottom of the score card, as Blake and Kyle celebrated our demise.
Blake loved to dance, creating dance floors where there were none. He commanded a crowd. He was the consummate entertainer.
He loved to eat -- whether making his Mom's famous Badalucco spaghetti sauce, having Hot' N Ready Pizza as a main staple of his apartment refrigerator, or those late night bowls of 3 packs of Ramen. Man, could he ever eat. And never gain weight.
Ant then there was his salsa - any kind of salsa - the hotter the better. He even won a $100 bet in Florida with friends one night who bet him he couldn't eat a glob of Wasabi. Not knowing what Wasabi was, he downed it in one bite, drank enormous amounts of cold water, and then collected his $100. He also loved the smell of charcoal on a Hasty-Bake, and I'll always put aside one more Brat or Burger for him just in case he shows up hungry. Not that one of anything would satiate Blake's appetite.
Like most boys, he loved his fireworks. And along with that, loved making a fire in an outdoor firepit or lighting a candle. Like waves lapping a beach late at night, fire took him to a peaceful place, and opened up his heart to speak frankly with whoever was lucky enough to be sitting next to him at that fire.
His love for television and movies enticed him to want to entertain people as well. He took acting lessons while he was in Florida, and his friends always encouraged him to go to New York and try out for Saturday Night Live. You know, we think he had the talent that he actually could've done it.
His friends told us last Sunday he had an amazing gift to brighten anyone's day. We knew that as well. And he was never afraid to tell you that he loved you.
He didn't want to be judged. Nor did he judge anyone else. He saw the good in everyone.
We'd like to shift gears now and share with you some excerpts from letters we wrote him these last few years and some Hallmark moments of his own so you can feel and sense his goodness. As I put this together, I have a tendency to want to keep writing, because if I do, we won't have to face the inevitable final ride. So please, bear with me.
On December 13, 2004, when things were kinda rough, Jill and I wanted Blake to know just how much we loved him. Here are some excerpts from that letter.
"Our dear Blake,
Where do we start? Since so much of what this is about is feelings, then I suppose we should start at the very beginning, because that's when our feelings started for you.
Your Mom and I went to bed on January 19th, 1985, only to wake up the next morning, and have our lives changed for the better forever. Yes, we had a daughter who we loved unconditionally. But let's just say we were greedy. We also wanted a son. I think every man wants a son.
And then, all of a sudden, there you were. Soooo cute. So unbelievably cute. And so gentle, so tender. We could tell that just by observing you as a newborn. Your attachment to your Mom was immediate. You were vulnerable and innocent and you needed her for everything. And she loved being needed.
As for me, I just stared in amazement. After 36 years, I had the son I always wanted. How did I feel? Jubilant. Exhilarated. Motivated. I was so anxious for you to grow up so I could teach you all the things that had made my life so exciting and fun.
There is nothing you could do - NOTHING - that would ever allow us to turn our back on you. NOTHING! You're our son, and with all the obstacles to a happy life that we're trying to navigate right now, I think you've forgotten all the joy you've given us in the past. You've given us memories you don't even remember.
Even as a small boy, you stopped people on the streets with your movie star looks. In grade school, you were magnificent on a basketball court, and I'll always remember throwing a baseball as high as I could when you were 5 or 6 years old, and you'd never miss it. As a father, I'd think "That's my boy" - he can be as good as he wants to be.
Your sense of humor. Let me write about that for a minute. We love your sense of humor. Your laugh. Your ability to make people laugh. Proving once again that God stayed on the assembly line all nine months for you. And when finished, must've said, "Blake is finished, and he is good!"
Friends, I know how important they are to you. Friends aren't your parents. You can be open with them about anything. You can tell them things you can't tell us. We understand those confidences. But one of the things I've learned these past 55 years is great friends are difficult to come by. And once you find them, treasure them. Because they'll always have your best interest at heart. Instinct will teach you who they are.
On a number of occasions, you've told me you've talked to God. You challenged me as to whether or not I believe you. I do believe you 'cause you told me it was so. Your spirituality is real'."
Now let's move to Tuesday, March 28, 2005. Jill and I decided Blake would be safer in Florida with my brother and sister-in-law. They were gracious enough to welcome him with love and open arms. Since Blake was a white knuckle flyer, I wrote this letter to him and asked him to open it once he was in the air. Here are some excerpts from it.
"To Our Son,
The doctors have told us it's time for you to fly. So by now, you should have slipped the surly bonds of earth, and are able to touch the face of God from where you sit. That is, of course, if you selected a window seat.
Don't be afraid, Blake. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore.
There's so much I want to tell you that I don't really know where to start. So I'll just ramble awhile.
First, you know - you must know - how much we love you.
Hindsight it always 20-20. But when you were born, you didn't come with an instruction booklet, so we had to make changes in the "Life of Blake" as we went along, hoping that any decision we made would have positive consequences.
I'm thrilled that you have grasped on to your spirituality. Don't let go of that. It will lead you to the right decisions in your life. We will rejoice in all your victories - no matter how small. And your first victory is today. Leaving on a jet plane is a victory. Get on a roll, Blake, and keep scoring every single day.
If you'd like to call once in a while to let us know how you're doing ... well, let's just say we'd receive no more important phone call in the universe.
You're the son we always wanted, Blake. Your sense of humor is magical. Your looks are impeccable. Any your personality is magnetic. From the day you were born, we were hooked. Our love is unconditional."
The next big day was January 20, 2006. It was a letter to Blake on his 21st Birthday. Again, some excerpts:
"It seems like only yesterday I rushed your Mom to St. John's Hospital, and waited just a few short hours before you were born.
Out you came, and in the blink of an eye, you were loved unconditionally by your mother and me. In that single instant, I saw myself buying footballs, basketballs, baseballs ..... anything you wanted to throw or catch.
You've always had a family who has loved you more than anything. Your mother has been completely devoted to you from the moment you wrapped your arms around her right after birth. You literally 'had her at hello'. 
Could you have been any cuter?! Then and now! You're an extremely handsome man, with such gentle mannerisms. Like Seinfeld's mother always said on Seinfeld, "Who wouldn't like Blake?"
Blake, you are kind, empathetic and compassionate. These are traits that will always serve you well. And they're certainly traits that will serve others. Remember, for those to whom much has been given, much is expected. Listen to your heart. You'll know the right thing to do.
We love you, Blaker. Always have, always will. If I told you I didn't worry about you all the time, I'd be lying. We want so much for you. And even more than that, we want so much for you to feel the exhilaration of doing it all yourself. Your self sufficiency is a parent's wish, because we'll then know we succeeded.
Happy 21st Birthday, Blake. There's nowhere in the world that you can't go now. You're welcome everywhere. Be smart about where you go and who you go with. And know that with this privilege comes responsibility. You ARE an adult. Now, you really are 'Blake the Man.' There will be times you'll wish you were a child again. But make those times few and far between."
We want to close by reading you an excerpt from the last Mother's Day card he wrote to Jill and one of the last Father's Day emails he wrote to me. His words help bring us comfort in this most difficult time:
"Dear Mom,
I don't even know where to start. I miss you more and more every day. Everything you have ever done for me will never be forgotten. The love you have shown me over the years is almost impossible to explain in words. You taught me empathy, sympathy, and how to treat women. You are an amazing woman and I want your life to be everything you expect it to be. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Mom. I love you! ....Blake."
And to me, before he returned to Tulsa from Florida in 2006, he wrote this on Father's Day:
"Dear Dad,
You have been the best father anyone could ask for. You have supported the family and taken care of us in so many ways. You are not only my Dad, but you are my best friend. You have taught me more about life than anyone could possibly do. You taught me the important things, like how to treat girls and just people in general. I sure do miss you, and I can't wait to see you soon. I love you dad with all of my heart. ....Your Son, Blake."
If you had a personal relationship with Blake, there are no other words we can write today that can create what's not already in your mind's eye about him. We pray that those memories created with him will give you solace in the weeks, months and years ahead.
If Blake could speak, he would tell you this:
"Don't feel sad for me today. I just had my First Christmas in Heaven, and you probably got a present you didn't even want?!
Remember, live and let live.
Stop being judgmental of the people important in your lives.
Cherish your friendships. I certainly did.
And keep your family close."
On behalf of Jill and Lauren, we are honored by your presence here today. God Bless you all.
Blake loved his friends and family almost as much as we love him! His infectious smile and comical personality were bright enough to light up any room.
He is truly missed!
ABOUT BLAKE
In his own words
"Im a sophomore at Oklahoma University . I graduated from Bishop Kelley Highschool in Tulsa Oklahoma in 04'. Im currently going to school to get a degree in communications but that might change very soon. I have 2 great parents who have always been in my corner during the good times and the bad. I also have a very smart sister who lives in LA and she is probablly going to be cleaning famous peoples teeth someday. Who knows.. maybe mine if she has the credentials. I had a great dog named Nike who went off to dog heaven a few months ago where im guessing he is rolling around in a fluffy bed made of bacon. Ive been to a few schools including 2 years in Florida before i transfered here. God do I miss the beach, and downtown Orlando . Im 22 yrs old and ill be 23 in January. So if ur wondering about my bday present get me a walker or a handicapped parking sticker. hahaha jk Im in my prime! Peace out everybody, and remember that I love ya, well not all of ya but most of ya"
(Taken from Blake's Facebook profile)
Website last updated: May 13, 2009
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