I said goodbye to my mom (Sandy) last Wednesday. It’s hard to put into words what that means, but I want to try—because she was someone worth remembering out loud.
She was the quiet force behind every special moment: Fundraisers, school talent shows, family parties, epic road trips, camping weekends, and holiday dinners that brought everyone together. She didn’t do it for attention. She did it because she believed in making life memorable for the people she loved.
Mom was insanely organized, always with detailed notes and plans. But what really made her special was her ability to cast a vision—and make you want to be part of it. She led with kindness, never ego. And through gratitude, she made the hardest work feel fun and rewarding.
As I’ve grown, I’ve started to see how much of her lives in me. When I plan parties and lead adventures, I’m always looking to add that extra spark to every detail the way she did. I may not have her folders, but I have her heart.
These last few months were hard. When she was rushed to the hospital in March, something in me knew. My brother and I became her advocates, her protectors. We stood by her to the very end—literally holding her hand through her final breath.
In the end, we brought mom home and did our best to fill the house with music, photos, and love. I made her favorite breakfast just so she could smell it and feel again, for a moment, like she was home with her sons. And she was. She said, “I’m home—and it’s great.” We spent hours looking at family photos on the TV—laughing, crying, remembering, sitting in the warmth of a life well lived. We didn’t get to do everything I hoped we’d do, but we did a lot. We lived a beautiful story together.
I’m so grateful to the people who helped us do this right—Angels Grace Hospice, Rich, Lana, Kevin and Kim, and the kind professionals who showed up with heart.
Mom lived to serve, loved deeply and made life sweeter for everyone she touched. I hope to do the same. I love you mom.
Visitation will be Friday, July 18th, 3-9pm at Modell Funeral Home in Darien. The funeral Mass will be held Saturday the 19th at 10am at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Darien
My dad passed away last weekend. I’ve been trying every day to make a special post honoring him, but am still processing the last week and can’t seem to adequately articulate what I want to say at this time. His visitation will be 3-8pm this Thursday at Modell Funeral Home and his funeral service will be Friday morning at 10am at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, both in Darien, Il.
For the last few weeks, my family and I have been digitizing and sharing old photos of my dad. WOW! These represent how we want to remember Dad. He suffered for so long from various diseases and ailments that we needed these reminders of the awesome life he lived before getting sick. I’ll share a few today and probably more in the future.
Fall in Moab is quite amazing… be sure to put in your vacation requests for next fall and book a trip with me! You won’t regret it! @escape_adventures is running a promo until the end of the month. If you’re lucky, @boobypoopoo will be there too! Bobby is one of the most knowledgeable guides I know when it comes to Utah canyon country. He’s also a blast to ride with. #schmeyah #mountainbike #moabutah #rocksrock
Riding with my gigantic backpack and 15lbs of camera gear is sometimes worth the effort! It’s also great when my friends play along and do sketchy stuff for the gram! #moabmountainbiking #guideride #slickrock #wallrides #donttrythisathome #comeadventurewithus
This photo was from my first official tour as a guide. I had ridden these trails dozens of times by myself. Having a rad crew to ride with made them infinitely more fun! If anyone wants to ride Gooseberry, Flying Monkey, Grafton or Jem in the next week, hit me up.
Ps: I’ll bring my camera 👍🐿🦴
Just wrapped up my first season of mountain bike guiding. It’s been a blast making memories with my co-workers and all of the guests I’ve had the privilege of serving on tour!
I’ve taken so many photos on tour, but figured I’d start with a classic Chet #milkyway shot from last weeks #whiterimtrail with @escape_adventures . Next season is already booking… if you want to learn how to mountain bike or go on an epic outdoor adventure, send me a message! Many of the trips I guide work well for beginners and first timers…don’t let fear/worries stand in the way of living your best life!
I just got back from guiding another amazing mountain bike adventure. This week we were on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We were treated to some of the best sunrises and sunsets Mother Nature has to offer! This time lapse is from North Timp Point. The monsoon rain bands were incredible to watch. I composed the soundtrack this morning 🎶inspired by Chopin’s “Ocean” etude. I can’t wait to capture and share more memories on tour with @escape_adventures . Seriously! Come join me! #sunsettimelapse #monsoonseason #grandcanyon #nationalpark #pianomusic #escapeadventures #guidelife #camping
When nature gives you a full lunar eclipse, you show up...
Not gonna lie, I’m currently back in Illinois and am really missing the un-polluted night skies out west. Where are some of your favorite places to view the night sky? I’m planning trips/adventures and would love to share (and capture) these kinds of experiences with you. Send me a message if you’re interested! #lunareclipse #nightsky #cityofrocks #thefrickenmoon #adventurechet
Summer adventure season is in full swing! I just finished a 50 day outdoor leadership course and am excited to start planning trips with everyone. There are so many ways to appreciate this planet while having a ton of fun. If you are interested hiking, camping, jumping, biking, climbing, canyoneering, summits, sunrises/sunsets, stars, floating, boating, etc, send me a DM and let’s see what amazing memories we can make!
#adventurechetisback #fullsend #gradtetonsnationalpark #phelpslake #cliffjump #🌀
