Tanner Byholm

This Memorial timeline has been created to celebrate the life of my son, Tanner. It’s easy to think that to stay longer in this world is better. We perhaps wonder, how long are we going to live? But if we remove one word - “long”, it becomes a better focus: How are we going to live? Like going to a store, we get what we need and return home; we don't linger around. Perhaps the ultimate goal is to live a positive and impactful life, and then to return home. As heartbreaking as this is for us all, if you read about everything Tanner and Remington each accomplished in such a short time, they unquestionably led the most positive and impactful lives. And that is what truly matters most. Tanner was laser-focused---when he wanted something, he went after it with a zeal unmatched by any other. He was never afraid of hard-work. When he had a dream, he chased it. He knew he wanted to be a Marine since he was 10 years old. Tanner wanted to protect people, and did everything in his power to fulfill this wish. He was a modern-day Explorer. The prospect of seeing new things and experiencing the world in a new way filled him with purpose. No opportunity was squandered, no stone left unturned. He had the best of both worlds growing up---the beautiful winters of the North and the vast oceans and beaches of the South were his to joyfully experience. He lived with no regrets---he worked toward exactly what he meant to do in life, with not a minute wasted. He allowed no grass to grow beneath his feet. Calling him an amazing son and brother would be an understatement.