The Ones Who Stayed

These days been moving slower than I ever planned,

Learning how to take small steps when I just wanna stand.

Knee wrapped up, another long night in this room,

Trying not to let the frustration fill up all the gloom.

Some mornings I wake up mad at the world outside,

Some days I get quiet, keep everything inside.

But somehow when the hard days start taking their toll,

Two people keep reminding me I’m never alone.

I know I haven’t always made it easy,

Pain can make the best of me sometimes.

But you stayed when I was tired and defeated,

Never made me feel like I was falling behind.

So thank you, Jay, my brother through it all,

For picking up the pieces every time you saw me fall.

And thank you, Taya, for the patience and the love,

For being right beside me when the days got way too tough.

When I couldn’t move as fast, when I wasn’t feeling strong,

You both gave me somewhere safe where I could belong.

I might be the one healing, but one thing I know—

I wouldn’t make it this far if I had to walk alone.

Jay, you kept me laughing when I wanted to complain,

Brotherhood means more when somebody shares the weight.

No fancy speech needed, you were simply always there,

And sometimes that’s the greatest way to show somebody cares.

Taya, you’ve seen the frustration hiding in my eyes,

The stubborn days, the restless nights, the moments I denied

That I needed someone near me just to tell me I’ll be fine,

And somehow you kept loving me through every difficult time.

One day I’ll look back on these scars and this road,

Remember every lesson that recovery showed.

Not just how to get stronger, not just how to heal,

But how blessed a man can be when the people around him are real.

So thank you, Jay, for being more than family by name,

For standing right beside me when I wasn’t quite the same.

Thank you, Taya, for your heart and every sacrifice,

For loving me through hard days without ever thinking twice.

When the road felt endless, you helped carry me home,

Made the weakest moments feel a little less alone.

And when I’m back on my feet, wherever this life goes,

I’ll never forget the two who stayed beside me on this road.

This recovery is mine…

But the strength came from us.

Jay and Taya—

Thank you for never giving up.