Kyle Grant Burford

On October 27th 1986, something special happened to the world, Kyle Grant Burford was born to two adoring parents. Daniel and Cindy Burford could not of been happier to add the last missing piece to their family. Having two siblings already Jeramy Ray Burford (5/27/83) and Heather Marie Cassilis (11/28/84), it would make Kyle not only the youngest but also the receiver of many handmedowns. Kyle was born and raised in the Clackamas area where he and his siblings attended a few different elementary schools. As a child he was very outgoing and full of love. He practiced his love for others everyday, even into his last moments you couldn\u0027t leave the room without him telling you he loved you and him desiring the exact same response. Throughout his youth Kyle loved playing with toys and especially building Legos. But even more than Legos themselves he loved \u0026quot;Mannies\u0026quot;, be it Legomen themselves or other figurines, Kyle couldn\u0027t be found without one in his clutches for the majority of his childhood. While in the 4th grade Kyle endured the first of several life altering tragedies. On September 27th, 1996 Daniel and his three children were walking across Sunnyside Road when Kyle was stuck by a car. He was life flighted from scene to OHSU hospital where he was in critical condition for several weeks. His extensive injuries resulted in severe brain trauma where he was placed in a drug induced coma and was not expected to make much, if any, of a recovery. It was months before he was able to begin to learn how to walk again, which didn\u0027t come easy so he was in a wheelchair for quite a while after leaving the hospital. All the while, he had to wear a helmet for almost a year because his skull was still very fragile. The accident left Kyle with few long term effects of occasional grand mal seizures and partial facial paralysis. He never skip a beat though, adopting his crooked smile and showing everyone he was no different than them. It was his ability to do just that, that made him the lovable person we all knew. As any kid would be he was eager to return to school and pursue a normal life. He went on to go to McLaughlin Jr. High and then to Rex Putnam High School where he befriended others with his authentic sense of humor. He was always known for being quite the comedian. Even in his wheelchair he made jokes of being a \u0026quot;rollup\u0026quot; comedian, as opposed to a standup one. After high school he worked several different types of jobs, making him a bit of a jack of all trades. At one point even working at the Salvation Army which he really enjoyed because not only did he have a decent amount of responsibility, he also liked knickknacks and that\u0027s basically what the Salvation Army is. He would describe it as \u0026quot;like working at a giant garage sale everyday\u0026quot;. At the age of 19 he met Larissa Fornia and they began a relationship that would eventually blossom into a marriage. The marriage took place on cliffs lining the shore of the central California coast. It was obvious they loved each other very much but not so much Oregon, and the majority of their married life took place in the desert city of Henderson, Nevada. After almost three years of being married, Larissa and Kyle went their separate ways. Kyle landed back in Clackamas, Oregon where most of his family resides. Upon his return home Kyle stayed with his parents and started to put some roots back down. On November 7th, 2015 Kyle suffered another tragic life changing accident. While jumping on a trampoline at G6 airpark he fractured his neck, immediately losing the feeling and movement from his chest down. He was rushed to Legacy Emanuel hospital to undergo emergency surgery to repair the fracture. It wasn\u0027t until almost a week after the initial surgery that they realized the surgeon had a made a crucial mistake and improperly braced Kyle\u0027s fracture. In that time period, a large amount of his spinal cord died off and his organ function along with his overall health was deteriorating rapidly. It was then that he was taken in for a second surgery to repair the initial mistake. Thankfully, that surgery was a success and his organ function began to stabilize. At this point, Kyle was now paralyzed from the shoulders down, leaving him a quadriplegic. He wasn\u0027t expected to regain use of his arms, let alone walk again. You\u0027d think all this would make someone very bitter but all it did was make his attributes shine greater. For the following year he spent almost as much time in the hospital as he did at home but his optimism only grew stronger. He was determined to use his arms, he even purchased a PS4 as motivation for him to work harder at regaining his strength and dexterity. Everyday was filled with him and his mother, Cindy, who also was his caregiver helping with different exercises in order to improve his condition.His recovery was plagued with numerous difficulties and on December 21st, 2016 his body would succumb to its injuries and he passed in his sleep. Even though his body surrendered his outgoing spirit, which was his strongest asset, will live on forever in each and every one of us. Anytime you\u0027re goofing off with your buddies, he\u0027ll be right there telling jokes with you. When you\u0027re building Legos he\u0027ll be helping stack each piece. If you\u0027re ever on a long walk he\u0027ll be alongside keeping you company and helping you find your way. He will always be our Survivor. Kyle is survived by his parents Daniel and Cindy Burford, his brother Jeramy Burford, his sister Heather Cassilis, his niece Kiara Cassilis and two of his grandparents Melvin and Lois Emerson as well as many cousins and friends. Through them, as well as his spirit, Kyle will never be forgotten."",