Nicholas Jon Finifrock
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Nicholas Jon Finifrock, 19, of Barnum, went "HOME" on Friday, September 23, 2022. He was born on May 25, 2003 to Jon and Ann Finifrock in Mercy Hospital, Moose Lake. One day after Nicholas' birth, he was airlifted due to seizures and other complications his tiny body was experiencing. One of Nicholas' many medical diagnoses was Cerebral Palsy (CP). He may have had CP, but CP didn't have Nicholas. He worked hard every day despite the pain and challenges he encountered. We can count on one hand, not using all of our fingers, how many days in Nicholas' life he DIDN'T smile.
Nicholas and the life he lived was a true blessing. He smiled with his whole body and warmed the hearts of everyone he met. Nicholas taught people to enjoy each day; especially the little things. Nicholas loved Jesus, being "home" with Daddy, Momma & Na-Na, listening to music, going to church, people, ice cream, owls, crackers, and french fries. Nicholas was a life-long member of the Mahtowa Covenant Church Family: he was baptized in August of 2003 and confirmed on May 6, 2018. Nicholas attended Barnum Schools. He was excited to go through the graduation ceremony with his peers in 2021. Many of us celebrated with Nicholas by having ice cream served out of the ice cream truck he and his family built. Nicholas attended Barnum another year to take part in the work experience Covid wouldn't allow him to do. He especially enjoyed being a greeter at KJ's Fresh Market in Moose Lake. Nicholas finished his time at Barnum High School on June 7, 2022 and started a day program at Pinewood in Cloquet on June 9. Nicholas loved attending Pinewood where he reconnected with a few old friends and made a whole lot more.
As we all know, there were things that Nicholas couldn't do. He couldn't walk. He couldn't say many words. He couldn't do many things other people take for granted every day. When some people looked at Nicholas, that's what they saw - the things he couldn't do. But that's not what we saw, and that's not who Nicholas was. Everyone who knew Nicholas saw the many things he could do. Nicholas could smile. He could laugh. He could feel unhindered happiness. Nicholas loved unconditionally and he could show his love without ever saying a word. Not everybody has those abilities. There are people who have so many blessings that Nicholas never had, and yet don't appreciate those blessings. They have good health, but they take it for granted. They can walk, but they don't know which way to go. They have arms, but they can't use them to reach out to others. They can speak, but they don't know how to tell others they love them. That wasn't a problem for Nicholas. He could express his love with a look, with a smile, with a squeal. Love isn't only shared through words. Love is much deeper than words. There were more things Nicholas could do. He inspired others to try harder. By seeing him work hard to overcome his own challenges, it reminded others to work harder as well. Nicholas helped teach us about our own strengths and gifts in this way. Nicholas also taught us how to be happy because he took joy in simple things - joy in seeing people he knew, being "home," singing praise songs, eating ice cream, collecting owls, and insisting on changing the tv channel. We could look to Nicholas for an example of perseverance and inner strength as he continued to fight battles in health and limitations that would crush many of us. He showed us what it is to be strong, because strength is not just found in being the biggest, the toughest nor the fastest. Strength is found in one who keeps on going, keeps trying, day after day, long after others give up. Strength is found in one who knows success isn't always big and flashy, but knows that sometimes the greatest success is found in the tiniest of victories. In this way, Nicholas was a hero - just like his family, who also kept on going, day after day, through the best times and through the hardest times. Just think of all the gifts that Nicholas gave us.
Through his limitations he gave us the gift of insight and showed us things we might otherwise have missed. He gave us the gift of perspective. Nicholas reminded us that most of our problems are not really problems, and to be grateful for what we have. We must savor the sweet, beautiful moments we have every day, because ultimately life is fragile and someday all too soon, we must say goodbye. Nicholas taught us about kindness and patience, because it took a lot of love, patience and dedication to care for his needs day after day. To nurture someone so completely, and to do it for so long, takes a dedication and depth of love that is hard to comprehend for those who haven't done it. It is truly loving without condition, and it is perhaps the most beautiful and pure example of love that exists. Nicholas made that kind of love exist. He made it possible. Nicholas gave us the gift of unconditional love. Unconditional love is loving even when it hurts, even when it's not easy. It's loving because you simply can't help but love. And that is the greatest triumph of any life: to love and to be loved. And Nicholas taught us how to love without words, without limits. And finally, Nicholas gave us the gift of beauty. His life wasn't easy, and it wasn't glamorous. There were a lot of hard times, for Nicholas and for his family and friends. But he taught us that we can see past the difficulties and find the beauty, for there is always beauty. For instance, imagine there is a day when you have big plans, big expectations, but you get up in the morning and it's raining. The sky is dark and it's windy and miserable. Why did it rain today, you ask. Of all the days, why today? Why did it mess up my plans? It's not what I expected. It's not what I planned for. It's not what was supposed to happen. But if you look hard, you may still find the beauty in it all. When you look out at the rain, you may see puddles and storm clouds and mud. You may see grey skies and raindrops and dreariness. Or you might look deeper and see how the rain nourishes the earth, settles the seeds and gives them roots so they can grow. You may see how the water flows from the sky to the earth to the sea and back again to the sky in a great cycle that never ends. And you might also look up to the heavens and see the rainbow and remember that it is only because we have endured through the storm that we are lucky enough to see the rainbow. Nicholas was our sunshine. Through the tough times, through the adversity and the challenges and the pain, he shone through with a special light.
Nicholas knew Jesus. He looked forward to bible story and prayer time every night with Daddy. Nicholas knew he was going to Heaven and that someday we'll all be "home" with him. It's not fair that he shone brightly for only a short time and then left us, yet we can be assured that like the sunshine and rainbow, Nicholas was truly a blessing from God. We can both mourn the loss of his life and we can celebrate the life he led and the lessons he gave us. For the best gift Nicholas gave us, was his very life. He was a gift. For all the ways he taught us about life and love, for all the ways he inspired us to be better, and for all the love he gave while he was here with us, he was a gift to each of us. May we never forget this beautiful gift. May we give strength and support to each other as we find our way in this world without him. And may we honor Nicholas' memory every time we look up to the sky, look past the clouds and see the Sunshine. Nicholas is in heaven waiting until God calls all of us "home", so we can be together again.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Percy, Sue, and Ruth Finifrock, Tilmar and Verna Olson, John and Veronica Janzen, and Don and Ferne Dumke; aunt, Joye Schneider; uncles, Dick Getsinger, Dick Long, Bob Gilgenbach and Keith Hughes; and special cousins, Michael and Tanya Getsinger, Crystal DeLaney, Peter Cashmen, Jenny Beumer, and Nicholas Janzen.
Nicholas will be lovingly missed by his parents, Jon and Ann Finifrock and favorite big brother, Nathan. He is also survived by his grandparents, Willis and Kay Finifrock of Barnum, and Carroll and Joy Janzen of Aitkin; aunts and uncles, Mark (Lori) Finifrock of Foristell, MO, Joel (Katy) Finifrock of Barnum, and Christine (Jon) Midthun of Sauk Rapids, MN; cousins, Nicole, Monte and Hannah Finifrock, and Trent, Brady and Isaac Midthun; Godparents, David and Julie Duesler; as well as an infinite number of extended family, friends, and girlfriends.
A Funeral Services was held on Saturday, October 1st at 11:00 AM in Mahtowa Covenant Church. Interment was in Barnum Riverside Cemetery. Arrangements by Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake.