My name is Ida and I am and always will be Mama to Joshua.
I miss him every day! The heartbreak is unbearable on most days.
I use my days to find ways to make our Florida roads safer for everyone in Joshua’s name.
I do not want one more person to die and I want to curb behaviors in any way that I can.
Thank you for reading about my son. I want to share some things that he loved to do!
Joshua was a Painter by trade. He enjoyed swimming from childhood, and God give him many gifts one was singing and as an adult, he sang in many bands.
He loved Alabama football! “Go, Roll Tide.” He also loved the Boston Bruins hockey team.
Since Joshua’s childhood, we did a lot of fundraising to include skate-a-thons and he won a TV and a Bike in different years!
He loved roller skating! Just like I did at his age!
As an adult, in 2014, he raised money for a woman with cancer by singing with his band. This was the last concert I was able to go to for my talented son.
My Joshua loved to joke around and he would have a serious side also. Rainman, the movie came out in 1988 and my Joshua could sound just like Raymond. He was NOT making fun of it at all, he knew all the work I did over the years with handicapped people but this is a memory I will never forget. He was also a scout just like me through the years!
Joshua loved wrestling and we would go see the locals in Crestview.
Then one time, in 1988 we went to a WWF Wresting in Hershey, PA
A cherished and funny memory was seeing Ted Dibiase and Andre’ The Giant in Hershey, Pennsylvania! They would throw money in the arena and Joshua was grabbing and stuffing his pockets and said “Mom, hide this money.” I knew it was fake but they still wanted it back! The look on Josh’s face, I will always remember. He was such a funny kid! I miss him.
Joshua loved art! He could draw almost anything, he made me a coffee holder and a unicorn in woodshop in high school!
He had a sense of humor and a big heart! He even talked a few of his friends out of suicide.
When he was little my grandpa always gave him lollipops, and when Joshua’s great-grandpa passed away we would go to the grave and Joshua would say “ Grandpa, here is a lollipop for you!”
Thank you for allowing me to share the beauty in my son behind his roadside marker.
All of these memories take me back! It is still so surreal today that Joshua, my son is gone from this earth, from my reach, from my arms. I need his hugs to help me through this.
In less than a moment, my lovely son was killed in a hit-and-run. There are no more memories to make. Please everyone stay safe, and make good decisions on our roadways; this Mama is begging you.
