Submitted by Lyndsay Lomberg, mother of his daughter Devon
A quiet man
Chris sat back quietly and observed the world around him. He gave endless chances to people, because he believed in the good. If he loved, he loved with everything in him. He wore his heart on his sleeve. There was no question about his feelings.
He had an artistic side
Chris was a carpenter, a good carpenter. He was very artistic. His drawings are all over our daughter Devon’s room — Disney characters; a big teddy bear with her name on it; a sketch of me and Devon, a good one. He was covered with tattoos everywhere on him. The Philadelphia skyline on his back. On his chest and arm, he had Devon’s name. He did that tattoo himself.
How our relationship changed
Chris and I crossed a line and used drugs together. The love shared was destroyed. We had to separate because we were poison to each other. If I stayed, what would have happened to my daughter? In order to stay sober, I had to walk away.
He was in and out of jails and treatment facilities for years. It was a never-ending cycle. When he would go to jail, I would be happy — not that he was in jail, but that he was safe and I didn’t have to worry.
What he was proudest of
His three children. The last two years, his two older kids from an earlier relationship pulled themselves back from him because of his problems. That was rough on Chris. He called Devon, his youngest, each night before bed. They would say hi back and forth so many times, then, “Love you, Daddy” and “Love you more, baby.” It was something small and overlooked, but the tone in their voices was so full of love. The thought of my daughter never hearing that again is overwhelming, heartbreaking.
How I found out Chris had died
I couldn’t get hold of him. I was calling and calling, calling, calling. By night, I was telling my mom, “I have a bad feeling.” By the morning, everybody agreed I wasn’t crazy. They went to his house and had to kick the door down. I’m not naïve; I know overdoses happen. But I never really took in what it could mean.
How he would want to be remembered
Chris would want to be remembered as a man that was loyal. Once you became a part of Chris’s life, he was always there. He could be so mad at someone, but he would never turn his back. A man that loved unconditionally.
If I could say one thing to Christopher now
I would tell him to open his eyes and see how many people believe in him. He wasn’t alone. He was loved so very much.
I never meet a more loyal friend in my life. We worked together and hung out together and he always kept me laughing. I was there when he was found and all I could think of was Devon. He loved her so much and always talked about her
Beautiful! Chris’s personality and loyalty he’s had since he was a little boy.. He was friends with my son Vince since they were little boys, and a member of our family since… He was a Good Man, even fighting his demons, he had a golden heart.. sleep well Chris…
Chris was one of my closest friends, we were friends since I moved to Rockledge in 1996; I have very fond memories of Chris, we were roommates together on more then one occasion, when were teenagers me, him and Sean McBride(who also passed away a year prior to Chris) would hang out together almost every night, being dumb and young without a care in the world, no real responsibilities, but we would laugh and have a blast; I like to think they are together in a better place, I miss them every day and love them like brothers. Fast forward a few years when Chris became responsible and got about 5 years clean and was in the program(AA) and I was probably at my worst, bridges burned, basically homeless; Chris would always help me try and stay clean, gave a place to rest, a meal, a place to shower; basically he never judged me or made me feel like less of man; it didn’t take right away, me getting clean; but he would take me to meetings on condition for staying at his apartment, eventually seeing Chris and all the positive things he accomplished back then I wanted to follow in his example, I wanted the peace he had in his life; in the summer of 2006 I got off of heroin for good and I owe that to Chris; I seen the changes in a friend who was just as hopeless as I was at one point. I moved back in with Chris in August of 2008, it was me, Chris and Lindsay, and I liked Lindsay right away, one big happy family, even though I’m sure Lindsay wasn’t happy a friend of Chris’ moved into their house?, but she knew I was cool and easy going and we got along great and I made a new friend. After Chris’ horrible work injury and prescription meds he took a turn back into his old ways and I moved on. We always kept in touch throughout that rough time Chris and Lindsay were going through, but eventually we went different paths. He would call me here and there, I would see him occasionally and it was me always trying to help him in the end, it was everything he told me when I was at my worst that I tried preaching to him, it’s sad that he was as lucky as I was. Needless to say I loved that guy and still do, it hurts my heart that I can’t just call him and just talk. Chris was a very special person and I know we’ll see each again. I owe a lot of the positive things in my life to Chris, all the good advice he gave me really stuck, but most of all I remember him treating me like I mattered and he didn’t judge me or hate me, that is something I needed when I was lost.