I wanted to share this poem I wrote for Ben, as his anniversary approaches. It comes from a very deep place in my heart — a way for me to hold onto his memory and the love I still carry for him every day.
You have always been so kind and supportive to me, and I am grateful beyond words for the connection we share. I hope these words help express some of what I feel, even when it’s hard to say out loud.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of Ben’s life and memory. I carry you all with me as well.
With love and gratitude,
Tiana Storie
Five years, and still the silence screams.
Sixty months wrapped in empty dreams.
One thousand eight hundred twenty-six days I’ve tried to breathe,
Without your voice to guide me through the grief.
No ping, no light, no sudden sound—
Just this aching absence all around.
Forty-three thousand hours, a thousand tears,
Walking this road haunted by your years.
When the world breaks me, I come to you,
Sit in the space where I feel you move.
A breath, a whisper, a ghostly touch—
I swear you’re here, I miss you so much.
Tears spill like rivers down my face,
You hold me close in that sacred space.
Fear tries to drown me, but you’re my shield,
A quiet strength I can’t ever yield.
And laughter—oh, how it bursts from my soul,
Memories that make me lose control.
I come as often as my broken heart allows,
Sometimes a moment, sometimes hours somehow.
When I leave, peace settles slow,
Not because I’m ready to let you go—
But because in your presence, I’m finally whole,
You’re the light that saves my wandering soul.
You’re the calm in chaos, the steady beat,
The whispered promise when life feels defeat.
Goodbye’s a word I’ll never say—
I carry you with me every single day.
Until I see your face again, my friend,
I walk this road with you, right to the end.
