Brian Shannon Jennings - Online Memorial Website

I remember this past Easter.... March 23, 2008

 

To catch you up to date first, Emily, BJ's ex-girlfriend had went home to visit her family in Nevada.  She called two weeks after that and told BJ she was not coming home.  He immediately went and got an attorney.  She called and told him she was coming to Oklahoma to get her things Easter weekend.  His attorney had papers drawn up to have her served when she returned.  BJ was so upset.  I remember the Monday of that week I had been at work and just got home and had taken an Imitrex for a migrane when he called me and asked me to come over.  I wanted to tell him no, I had a really bad migraine, but he was upset and didn't want to be alone and none of his friends would come over.  As I would do for anyone, in pain myself or not, I went to his house around 7pm that night.  He had asked me to come over and help him get the kids things in order, however, when I got there, he told me he just didn't want to be alone and we didn't have to do anything but sit.  I could not do that.  I went to the boys room and opened up a drawer and seen that nothing was folded and both boys clothes had been mixed together.  So I started at the top and folded and orgainized all the way down and all three dressers.  I did the laundry and dishes and it was around midnight and I told him I had to go.  The next day he asked me over again.  I again went, leaving Dusty to tend to the kids.  By the third day Dusty was so pissed at me.  He said I was ignoreing him and kids. 

 

I heard BJ talk to Emily and try to get her back.  It was gut rinching to hear how hurt he was.  My goal then became getting the house in perfect condition so that when she came back she would change her mind and stay.  BJ went through a plastic tub of winter clothing and as we folded them together, he picked up a shirt and said "I remember when we bought this for Shane"  it had a monster truck on the front of it.  "He loves monster trucks"  As he talked tears came from his eyes.  He loved Shane as if he was his own blood.  Knowing he had rights to see his son Rilye, made that part easier for him.  But knowing he had no rights to Shane was a knife through the heart.  He told me "I love that boy"  "I am going to miss him so much."  He was bawling and I couldn't help but cry with him.  All week I returned to his house to keep him company and help get things in order.  All week he was a broken man.  All week we wondered and prayed that she would come back with Rilye.   The attorney told BJ that if she returns with Rilye, that he could keep her from leaving the state with Rilye. 

 

It was Easter Sunday and I got to BJ's house around 8am.  We knew Emily was hours away.  It was nerve racking.  She would call and he would put her on speaker for me to hear.  I had never heard her talk like that before.  She was talking so hateful and heartless.  BJ stayed firm and kept asking about Rilye, as we were still not 100% sure she had him with her.  The guy who was going to serve Emily was standing by for us to call and say she was here.  I had BJ call some of his friends, as I feared when we took Rilye it would get really ugly.  I was so upset at the fact it was Easter and I was missing Easter with my kids.  As we sat and waited hour after hour, I got depressed about missing this day with my kids.  BJ said he was sorry, but that he needed me.  I was so ticked off that I was putting him over my kids.  But I couldn't leave for some reason.  I stayed.  As we waited I seen a mouse run from the living room to the kids room.  I thought this was funny and yelled at BJ "MOUSE"  He jumped and said where and we took off towards the room.  It was so funny, we had the mouse running all around and I tried to step on it and then BJ did a foot dance trying to stomp on it and we were both laughing so hard it took our minds off of what was goinhg on.  We gave up and he set a trap in the room and within 15 minutes he had the mouse.  We laughed about how crazy we looked cashing a little mouse through the house.  

 

We had a plan that I was to take Rilye with me when she got there so he could stay at the house until she was done loading her things.  I was so nervous.  I thought it will be considered kidnaping!!  So he called his attorney and his attorney said No it would not as they both had custody of Rilye.  I made BJ called the cops and they said they couldn't get involved unless a fight breaks out.  I was still nervous.  If someone took my child I would fight them tooth and nail.  Jump on their car, follow them, etc... 

 

 Then Emily called and said she was in Shawnee and would be at the house shortly.  My heart started beating so fast.  BJ was freaking out.  He kept telling me to keep it together that he needed me.  It was about 7pm.  She pulled up and handed Rilye to BJ.  I was relieved she had him. 

 

I still brought up to BJ about how I was there for him and how I missed out on Easter with my kids.  I always regretted missing Easter with them, until July 21st, 2008, when I found out BJ was gone.  Looking back now, I am so so glad I was there for BJ when he needed someone.  I thank God I was not too busy to be there.  I thank God for helping me put aside my own pain to be there for him.  I thank God for helping me put ME aside to be there for him.  I thank God for that week I gave up my life for BJ.  I am proud to say I put him first that week, I WAS there for him.  I no longer reget missing one Easter with my kids, as it meant spending one Last Easter with my kid brother.......and being there when he needed me the most. 

The night before, he called me around 10pm after he got back from Nevada from dropping his son off with his mom and almost like he senced something, he started talking about who his life has really just been on a down spiral.  From smashing his fingers, to losing his job, his girlfriend, her little boy that he raised for 2 years and his own son.  He had just got his own place and was trying his hardest to get his life striaghtened out.  I told him God would not give him more than he could handle and that something good would come of it all.  He said if he had a dollar he would buy a lottery ticket.  I told him he should buy one, and he had to share if he won.  We went on to talk about if anything happened to him how he needed a will to say that I get Rilye so I would still be able to see my nephew.  He agreed that he needed to do that.  He told me to quit talking about this and we changed the subject.  Looking back on our converstation that night, I think it is werid how we were talking about death and how he was just venting. 

I was the last one to talk to him Monday.  It was around 1:30 and he told me that he knows he has been ungreatful acting lately, and that he doesn't mean too.  He had just been so fucused on getting his son back and was doing everything possible to acheive that goal.  Rilye was his greatest acheivement.

 

I am greatfull we got our kids pictures made last Friday and that he got to spend the last two weeks of his life with his son.  I am so glad I let him manipulate me into going to the Golden Coral to eat dinner after pictures that night.  That was the last time me and kids saw him.

 

My son Bowdie who will be 10 next month had a tradition with BJ.  BJ would take him to Hooters for his birthday.  When I told my son tonight, his first comment was "so he can't take me to hooters anymore"  I lost it.  I promoised him that he would still go and that when Rilye gets bigger he would have to take him to Hooters and tell him stories about how BJ would act there.  That made him smile.  His next comment was that I was lying and that I had to prove it.  I showed him the Shawnee News Star with the picture on the front and he said "No mom you mean Jerrydon died, that is Jerrydon's motorcyle."  I explained that BJ had borrowed it and he examined the picture closer.  He noticed the shoe and the blanket under the motorcycle and the blood on the motorcycle.  Now it was 100 question time.  Did it hurt him?  Was he scared?  I quickly reminded him that BJ never knew it happened that it was that fast.  He went to his room and brought out a toy car, motorcycle and a block.  He said mom show me what happened.  I looked at my husband for help and both tried our best to show him from what we understand it to be.  This satisfied him and he said "ok I get it now."  

 

My daughter Megan who is 8, bawled from the second I told her and said it was not fair.  He was the best uncle and he would play with them and it was fun.  She said "what about Rilye mom" "who will get him now"  I had to tell her that his mommy gets him now.  Both kids are taking it bad, as to be expected though.