An 18-Year-Old’s Obituary

In just the past two weeks, three northeast Tarrant County teenagers have died of apparent drug overdoses. Two in Grapevine. One in Euless.  Two were 18 years old.  One was 15.

Police don’t think any of the three deaths are related because the teens did not know each other and apparently had taken different kinds of drugs.

I briefly profiled all three teens in my story but unfortunately couldn’t give too much detail because of time restraints.

Below is a copy of the obituary for Christopher Hackler, 18, of Euless. He was found dead in his girlfriend’s apartment in Grapevine August 7th.  Let’s hope other young people pay attention to this and learn from it.  The obituary was written by Hackler’s parents, who want his death to serve as a wake-up call for other drug users who may not think it can happen to them.

                OBITUARY FOR CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL HACKLER

 

Christopher Michael Hackler was born on October 2, 1989 in Bedford, Texas to Steve Hackler of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the former Kimberly Reed of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.  Christopher walked into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 7, 2008 at the age of 18.  Chris was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Roland and Betty Hackler of Tulsa, Oklahoma; maternal great-grandparents, J.C. and Viva Robins of Granite City, Illinois; and his great grandmother, Gertie Reed of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

 

Chris is survived by his parents, Steve Hackler of Euless, Texas, and Kim Hackler of Skiatook, Oklahoma; two brothers, David Hackler of Norman, Oklahoma, and Matthew Hackler of Euless, Texas; grandparents, Jerry and Patricia Reed of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  While living in Tulsa, Chris attended Jenks Public Schools.

 

After moving to Texas, Chris attended Carroll Public Schools in Southlake, Texas. Chris graduated high school in late 2007 from the In Balance Ranch in Tombstone, Arizona, and had planned on attending junior college in the Dallas area this fall.

 

Chris was an avid lover of sports and during his young life had played football, basketball, baseball, and competitive soccer. He also enjoyed surfing, wake-boarding, snowboarding, and when he was only 5 years old he was one belt stripe away from being a black belt in karate. 

 

Chris was an avid Oklahoma Sooners fan and one of his greatest joys was to attend the OU Sooners football games with his Grandma and Papa Reed.  Chris was blessed to have traveled extensively around the world with his family. 

 

He had visited Beijing, China; Paris, France; London, England; the Hawaiian Islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai; Cancun, Mexico; Lucerne, Switzerland; and Milan, Italy.  While in China, people were amazed at Chris’s blonde hair and handsomeness and wanted their pictures taken with him.

 

Christopher wanted to dedicate his life to helping troubled teens and leading them in the right direction. The Chris Hackler Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established to help families of kids who are troubled but may not have the resources available to get them the help that they desperately need. Chris’s life could not be saved for the Lord had better plans for him in store. 

 

This scholarship fund will address Chris’s goal he had in life and help to save the lives of kids who might not otherwise have a chance. Donations can be made by going to http://www.thenextstepalliance.org/ and specifying that it is for the Chris Hackler Memorial Scholarship Fund. 

 

Christopher will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him.  He was the kind of young man that anyone would be proud to call son, grandson, and friend. His funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. at Floral Haven Funeral Home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

 

Pastor Wendell Hope of Victory Christian Church and director of the Tulsa Dream Center will officiate the services.  Viewing will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, August 11^th and 12^th, 2008.