My cousin, Nicholas, was such a ladies man. He was the thrill seeker, the one to put himself first for others; a Luchento. He was strong and motivated and charismatic. We all knew him. His laugh was the best because he was always so serious at family gatherings that once you got him to smile, you knew you really accomplished something. He worked at the family resturant; Luchento's. He stayed close with his family -- though if I had one regret it would be we never hung out enough. When I think back on EVERY STORY, EVERY MEMORY, I laugh hard. In every situation, it was always a competition. My earliest memory consists of him getting those little matchbox cars with that crazy track that goes in multiple loops -- one day at christmas he just got it and he wouldn't let me play with it, let alone touch it. Hah. 6 years or so agoI went riding with my cousin Kristen. The horses were abig thing in our family. Well he got all jealous because I was going and he wasn't. Plus he was mad because I did a magic trick that he could NOT figure out. He mademe do it four or five times before he just gave up. Flash forward a year later, we went to afamily gathering, it was by a lake by some bridge or something and all I remember is trying to talk to him,but it didn't really work. Though he, too, is a Taurus, we couldn't comunicate because though we are blood it seemed we lived in two different worlds. Not until my cousin Gary got married did we meet again. At that point he was a grown man. He stood in his suit, tall and lean, where had the time gone? He was like a brother yet distanced. He smiled RARELY and just knew his place. We then attended my Grandma and Grandpa's Anniversary Party. He brought someone so we hardly talked, but we did. At this point his sister, Tori, was growing before my eyes and I suddenly realized I really haven't seen him in a long time. Our family didn't have any big events since then. We saw eachother scattered at Luchento's when I would walk in the back all proud to have the last name I do. I remember the last words I said to hima few months ago, which was 'I love you man'. I'm glad he at least knew. Nicholas, or Nicky as I called him, was a MAN. Though he was young he was no boy. He was 17 -- and died of anoverdose. Such a young bright kid and his whole life ended in his sleep. Nicky was always out to prove something, to prove himself. He is proving to you all that you should think before you just start experimenting. I encourage you all to learn and to mourn but not dwell. Nick enjoyed a good party, that usually would start just as he walked in the room, and I KNOW he would not want you to dwell and miss out on all the amazing things in life. Don't let him die in vain, live your life smart. Nicholas Anthony Luchento April 26th 2007 - July 3rd 2007Until We Meet Again