HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SO MAKE A WISH. It’s the words Dakota Warner’s father had said every year on December 5, since 1892. Forever instilled in his memory, it is that day he will hold in his heart, until time has passed him by.
A man of few words, Mr. Warner lived a confined lifestyle that was provided for by his low paying job. His routine lifestyle strived for a change that he was in search of. Mr. Warner wasn’t looking for a new job, or a new house to meet the needs of change. He knew for a fact, he wasn’t in search of a new wife over his current wife Gwendolyn. Mr. Warner was looking for the missing puzzle piece to his life. Day by day Mr. Warner thought long and hard on how to bring up such a conversation with Gwendolyn but could not come to a conclusion. Mr. Warner entered a state of depression, leaving Gwendolyn asking herself a whole lot of questions. Then it hit her like a train, and she knew exactly what was going on with Mr. Warner.
A father. It’s the first two words that came out of Mr. Warner’s mouth when he saw Gwendolyn that day. Mr. Warner had that vision of being the father his son could one day look up to as a role model. The married couple talked about starting a family and slowly progressed the idea. At times Gwendolyn was hesitant as to whether or not she was ready for a child, and she talked reasonably to Mr. Warner stating about the

possibility he could have a daughter. Mr. Warner was aware of the possibility however, he knew that God would not let him down and therefore was convinced that the time was now. Gwendolyn eventually caved in on the idea of postponing the family, and with that being said they began trying at starting a family.
7 months pregnant and it looked like Gwendolyn was ready to pop. The day Mr. Warner found out it was a boy, he was overwhelmed with joy and began making a bucket list of things to do with his son before he passed away. A healthy baby in the womb with no clear sign of any trouble, the due date inched closer and closer. December 5, 1892 Gwendolyn’s water bag broke and Mr. Warner left to get a doctor. 8 stressful hours and on December 5, 1892 at approximately 8:55 p.m. Dakota Warner was taken out of his mom’s womb. The room filled with joy, until the doctor realized that the baby was not crying and took into account that he had devastating news to tell Mr. Warner and Gwendolyn. He offered his condolences and said how terribly sorry he was for the death of baby Dakota to have occurred. Tears ran down Mr. Warner’s face and he began sobbing, knowing in the back of his mind that he would never get to meet his son Dakota. He would never get the feeling of seeing his son walk like him, talk like him, or even laugh like him. Mr. Warner tried picking up his feet and moving on, but it was the too much for him to overcome. He thought about it over and over how baby Dakota never even got a chance to open up his eyes.
Three years later Aaron Warner was born, light brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. Every year on December 5 Mr. Warner took a moment with the bucket list in his
hand and spoke out loud saying, “You have a little brother now, maybe it’s really you. If only you were here to meet him, he looks just like you. I hope one day we can meet face
to face, in a place without time and space…Love You, whoever you would have been, Happy Birthday.”