written by Toni Strickland
Taylor was a daredevil. He often kept me on my toes, holding my breath… while also inspiring me.
This guy took a big bite out of life. We knew early on, as a toddler, that he was going to push his—and our—limits embracing new experiences and conquering challenges. In general, that describes us as a family, but Taylor upped the ante, rarely showing trepidation or fear. He just had the courage to go hard and try new things. That’s the way God made him.
He didn’t come down a slide smoothly. He came down feet in the air, riding it for all he could get.
There wasn’t a piece of furniture in the house that wasn’t a launching pad for take-off—especially when you’re an action hero… He had ALL the costumes, and they weren’t just for Halloween.
When he learned to snow ski, Tim—who was a better skier than me—would ski in front of him to control his pace. Taylor had a need for speed, and he liked being first.
If there was a mountain, he was going up it.
Anything on the water called his name. Boogie board, knee board, water skis, scuba diving, wake board… just to name a few.
Did I mention motors?
Heights be darned!
And a good smackdown, hand- on, man-to-man combat came early with Tim as a dad! It served Taylor well in wrestling—another one of his bold endeavors.
Taylor often attempted new activities, pushed personal boundaries, and embraced the unknown. When he found his sweet spot where he was proficient, he would educate himself, honing his skills to excel. He wasn’t afraid to take chances and wasn’t afraid to work hard.
I love the thought of that. We’ve been given a finite amount of time on earth; shouldn’t we be taking a big bite? Learning new things? Getting excited about something new and different?
But as we all know too well, life happens. There are jobs, children, elderly parents, responsibilities… and sometimes there is wisdom in “I need to rest.” It takes some courage to face the daily grind—and maybe more to push past it just a bit… to discover MORE!
Packing a lifetime into 23 years, “Taylor did more in his short life than many grown men,” shared someone who spoke at his Celebration of Life!
I want to live like that! Big, bold, and unafraid of success or failure. That’s easily said, sitting here behind my computer, feeling inspired by Taylor. Even more than that though, I feel the Holy Spirit reminding me whose I am and what I am capable of in Him. Psalm 31:24 bids us all, “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!”
I’m claiming that verse. It’s only February, and while I’m not a New Year’s resolution person, I am a person who seeks hope and adventure, and I also recognize that I am so much more than I allow myself to be. Hey 2025, I’m going for it! How about you?
I came upon your site when looking up Seabase Scholarships. I read about your Taylor and it sounds just like our Wyatt Seiler of Maryland, who we lost in 2023 just 3-days shy of his 23rd birthday. He also lived life to the fullest and took the biggest of bites. Dirt bikes, snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, if it went fast, he was at full throttle. Nothing could slow him down! At 23-years old he was running his own business. The Lord needed him for something and it left a big void here on Earth! Your boy lives on through the adventures of others. Thank you for sharing him with us.