#TheFinal14 | Thank You Note

Tomorrow, our story together will come to an end. This blog started as a place to inspire, help, and change. It started as a place of community, and throughout these last four years, it’s become bigger than I could have ever imagined. But this isn't goodbye just yet. Today, I’m here to just say...thank you.

First of all, thank you to my mother. She raised me and my siblings by herself, surrounded by a loving family and a loving group of souls. To my family, my siblings, my aunt, and grandma, I want to say I love you, and that I am nothing without you.

Thank you to God, for keeping me safe, always holding me close, and reminding me constantly of your grace and love. I don’t talk a lot about my faith. It’s something that I hold close to my heart, but it is a huge part of me, and it was a big part of this story.

I have great gratitude to my teachers, to the University of Missouri. To Katina, thank you for pushing me as a filmmaker. Every class I took of yours, I left a better person. To Eryn and Justin, thank you for creating along with me, helping me become a better storyteller, and being all around great people. I can not wait for both of you to change the world.

To my athletics family, thank you for giving me so much freedom and yet so much guidance. To RJ, Shawn, Melroe, Nick, Crawford thank you for allowing me to influence your sports and your fans. To the greats, Ali Fisher, Caroline Hall, and Jacob Reeves, thank you for so many things. I am a better creative and visionary because of you. Thank you for being my friends, my creative thunder buddies.

To my friends, I want to start off by saying I am going to miss some of you. From Jason, to Ginos, Drury, Az, Chase, to Lizbeth, Sophie, Sydney and Riley, I had the incredible privilege of meetings so many diverse souls in my time at Mizzou. I’m someone who will consider you a friend after one night, for the good and the bad. So to all of you that I had those nights with, those classes, stood with on sidelines, courts, and diamonds, thank you. I love you all.

To the Hearnes Heroes, you guys are incredibly talented, and each and every one of you can take over this industry, and don’t ever forget it. To Nate, my brother, you are such a light to the world. To Devin, Diego, and Sheridan, you guys are special. Know that. To Cady, I love you, and never stop being yourself. Everyone else is taken anyway. Have fun driving the wiener. To Jack and Mario, I can not put into words what your friendship, and all the moments, mean to me. I will never take our friendships for granted. I love you guys forever.

To Tyler, and Travis, and Shane, and Jackson, your continued support throughout all these years has been the world.

To Jennah Jae Lane and Rachel Nicole Kunz, I don’t even know where to start. You guys have truly been my constants for four years. You kept me on track, and forced me out of my comfort zone, and I thank you guys for that. We’ve had more nights than I can count, more memories, and moments, and laughs that some people get in their entire lives. Our little moment in time was very special, and I’ll guard it closely for the rest of my life. And our story is just beginning.

To Mizzou Baseball, to Kam, Plassy, Luke, Cameron, Connor, Nolan, Zach, Laves, Ringo, Nelly, Tanner, Paul, Trevor, Dulle, Chad, and others...thank you for being my brothers, my family away from home. We came up a bit short, but I’ll hold our memories together forever, and never forget what we did here, even if the history books do. To Jared, Ryan, Matt, and the rest of the manager crew over my four years, you guys were a huge part of me becoming me. To my TOD crew, we did something cool, and it was a hell of a ride.

To Del Rio, thank you for so many different things. Thank you for allowing me to be me, and for always being there.

To Alexander Samples, keep being your corny self. Thank you for letting me into your world, and for being my brother.

To Salzy, you are one of a kind, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. I can’t wait to see you lead an organization to a championship.

To Brett, Daddy, our friendship has lasted almost a decade. There’s almost nothing left to say. I love you. I got you always and forever. Remember that.

Matty B, you deserve the world. It was an honor to know you, and become your friend. You are forever my brother, and my best friend.

To Trey, you’re my boy. We’ve been through it all, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Your friendship means a lot to me, and I am thankful for it.

To Bryce...Montes, I don’t even know. You’re my bud, and I always had you. No matter what. I love you doesn’t do it justice. Our friendship, it’s one of a kind.

Reed Simpson, first off thanks for being my roommate for four years. But most importantly, thank you for challenging me to ask why, and be the best me I could be. It did not go unnoticed. I’m where I am because of it.

And lastly, to all of you. Everyone who took a chance to read something written by little ole me. I lasted this long because of all of you. Thank you, I love you.

Time for one final little talk,

EICHEL | @EichelGDavis