In the summer of 1993, I, with a New Zealand mate, turned up on the doorstep of Don and Nancy’s home in Kohler, Wisconsin. Tom, my New Zealand mate, was a friend-of-a-friend of the New Zealand girl (whose name escapes me), that Don and Nancy were billeting. Within an hour of arriving, beds were set up for us in the basement, and Nancy had organized work for us both at a ranch where she and her youngest daughter, Erin, kept horses. To say we were overwhelmed with hospitality, generosity and love is an understatement. I think we stayed about 6 weeks (on a number of occasions we expressed a concern at how long we had stayed, but Nancy and Don insisted we stay longer) I celebrated my 26th birthday there. Pete, who had come up from art school in… Tennessee? (my memory’s a little patchy) celebrated his 21st birthday a few days before mine. He was a great guy, and showed us around Kohler. He also took us down to Milwaukee where his older sister, Amy, was living. (We were even invited to attend Amy’s graduation). Pete talked about hiking the Appalachian trail (he’d done parts of it before), and so we decided to hike it for a few weeks. Don organized a truck ride to Pennsylvania for us, and for 3 wonderful weeks we hiked some beautiful stretches of the trail. Pete then had to return to school, and I continued on for another month. I then travelled with Tom into Mexico and Central America, returning home – eventually -to Australia in 1996. My time with the McAdams was memorable, and I was deeply saddened to learn of Pete’s, and soon after, Nancy’s, passing.

I do not know you but know how you feel
I lost my son aged37
I was looking at things god bless
I am sure he is enjoying Granny &dogs
X

I am Saul his nephew. A few minuets before he passed I was sitting down stairs then I when I went up to check if he wanted coffee. I went up and checked he didn’t answer from the bathroom so I put my ear against the door. All I heard was mumbling so I told the adults in the house they called the 911 and took brought him to the hospital after he passed my parents would tell me what happened until now. I really wish he was still here because when he was alive he was basically like my best friend I had a group called the McCrackens we had this secret language and everything. He also told me a bunch of his stories in the front while he smoked. So I never got to say goodbye or I love you.