05/26/2026
“Will would go through little phases where he’d get back into things we used to do as kids, especially the old games we played together. One time, he set up an old box TV in his room and hooked the Wii up to it. We stayed up late playing the same games we used to when we were younger. The console still had all the old Miis we made of each other and our cousins years ago. We played all the Wii Sports games and Guitar Hero. He would always get more practice than me at bowling, so no matter how hard I tried, he still managed to win every time.
Now, whenever my friends and I talk about nostalgic games we used to play, I always think of Will. Playing games together was one of the things that really brought us close when we were younger. Even when Will was in high school, he still let me play on the Minecraft realm he and his friends had. I would try to annoy them just as much as he annoyed me growing up.
This summer, I set up a Minecraft realm for my college friends and me to play on, and pretty much every part of the game reminds me of those times with Will and how much I miss them.”
— Claire Carpenter sharing memories of her brother, Will
For siblings and families who have lost someone to cancer, grief never really disappears. People often talk about “moving on,” but the truth is, a part of your heart always stays with the person you lost. Some days the grief feels heavy and overwhelming, and other days it quietly shows up in the little things... an old game, a song, a memory, a joke only they would understand. As siblings, we carry so many pieces of them with us. The late-night conversations, the arguments, the laughter, the routines, the random moments that didn’t seem important at the time but now mean everything.
Those memories become the connection we hold onto when we wish we could have just one more moment with them. The pain of losing someone you love never fully goes away, but neither does the love. The memories we hold close help keep their spirit alive in our hearts and in the lives they touch.
For those who knew Will, we’d love you to share a memory or photo of him and tell us something you loved most about him. Every story, every laugh, every memory shared helps keep Will close to all of us.
The Will Carpenter Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Foundation
