A Brother's Love: A Memoir

by Matthew Cubbler

Overview

One’s role models in life are often found in the unexpected. The person who is our confidant and hero, or role model, may well be a teacher, parent, sibling, or friend who is appreciated too late. For me, my role model was my brother, Andy, who died too soon, at the age of twentyone. Unexpected? Yes. Andy’s story and my own as it unfolds will tell the tale of two brothers who were each others’ best friend. We had a childhood filled with love, joy, laughter, and sadness. Unfortunately for me, I was so busy being my “brother’s keeper” that I never realized the phenomenal human being my brother, Andy, had become. It took Andy’s death for me to realize the “role model” I had lost. Death stole my chance ever to say thank you while Andy was alive.

This memoir shares the emotions of a brother’s love. Each of my life’s accomplishments has in some way been shaped by my brother’s life and the way he lived it. Born with a cloud over his head, Andy struggled to learn and to fit in. Born with a rainbow in his heart, Andy would love and be loved in a way that I finally came to understand too late. This memoir is my gift of gratitude to my hero and role model. May it inspire those who read it to express their appreciation to those people who have made them into who they are today. In my case, it is my brother, who I loved more than I ever knew.

A Brother’s Love is Andy’s story and mine; it is a love story for all ages.

 

Author's note:  Please visit www.abrothersloverun.org  for more information on Andy's Charities and my upcoming charity run!

 

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467075008
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	02/15/2006
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	1
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

As a tribute to my beloved brother, Andy Cubbler, I wrote A Brother’s Love: A Memoir. I was born and raised in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, located in suburban Philadelphia. Upon graduation from high school, I served for four years in the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst. I am also a Gulf War veteran. My unit’s tour in the Gulf War was chronicled in the book Silently We Defend, written by an old army buddy, Robert Benfer, in 2003.

From 1994 to 2002, I served as a police officer in suburban Philadelphia. I was a member of the SWAT team, serving as an assistant team leader, SWAT instructor, and firearms instructor.

In 1997, I married the love of my life, Lauren. We now have two beautiful children, Rebecca Linne, who is eight years old, and Andrew Lucas, who is four years old. Without their constant love, support, and encouragement, A Brother’s Love: A Memoir would never have been written.

After the tragedy of 9/11, I felt compelled to join the fight against terror. In early 2002, I was hired as a special agent with the U.S. government, serving as a Federal Air Marshal.  After four years and thousands of "missions", the life of a U.S. Federal Air Marshal was finally beginning to take a toll on me both mentally and physically.  The dedication required to "be there" for the American flying public to protect them from terrorists was also taking a toll on the lives of my wife and two children.  I decided that my family was the most important thing in my life.  So, in June of 2006, I made a decision to return to police work.  This was a decision that I not only needed to make, but one that I am glad that I made.

Louise and Paul Jones, my mother and stepfather, continue to be a source of strength and love. Not only did my mother raise Andy and me to be the men she hoped we would be, she also served as my unofficial editor for the book. Louise is a retired high school English teacher and was instrumental in the historical correctness of the content in the book. Paul is a minister in the United Church of Christ and a constant reminder of the man I hope to become.