Blaine C. Peterson

Blaine Curtis Peterson, age 16, of Belle Fourche, S.D., died Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 at the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls.

  A Celebration of Life service was held Tuesday, Aug. 16, at St. James Lutheran Church in Belle Fourche. Pastor Randy Bradley and Pastor Jean Helmer will officiate. There will be no visitation.

  Arrangements were with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.

  Friends may leave written condolences and view Blaine’s video tribute at www.funeralhomeofthenorthernhills.com

  Blaine was born at 2:17 CT on March 6, 2000. He was followed by his twin sister, Tristin, at 2:19. I never believed in love at first sight until I met Blaine and Tristin Peterson. 

  Blaine and Tristin were best friends. They did everything together. They spoke their own language, they slept together, they ate together, and they lived together until a horrible disease took Tristin from us on Aug. 8, 2006. Blaine was never quite the same after we lost Tristin. They were two halves of a whole. 

  Blaine was my lifeline in a darkness I was almost lost in forever. He saved my life after his sister passed. His smile, his laugh, his innocent heart, and his strength all slowly but surely brought me back from a horrible place of grief from losing one’s child. I honestly don’t think I’d be here today if it were not for that little boy. He forced me to get out of bed each day. He forced me to smile and laugh. He forced me to take a look at my life and realize I wanted to be a better person and a better mom. Because of him I got my life back on track to be the mother he deserved, as he deserved the best. Blaine was my reason for becoming the person I am today. Blaine is the reason I was healthy enough to meet the wonderful man that became his father in absolutely every sense of the word, and who loved him very much. That man is Jay Calhoon, and he was the best dad a Blainer could have. 

  Blaine had autism and was nonverbal. I point this out because everyone thinks in order to be profound, they must say great things, use large words, or make people listen to them. Blaine needed none of that. Blaine changed more lives, influenced more hearts, and gave more inspiration than just about anyone I know without saying a single word. If you got a smile from Blaine, you’d earned it. His smile would genuinely light up the entire room and there was no way you couldn’t smile back. His laugh was contagious. His life was a testament to strength and confidence. 

  The most important lesson I learned from my beautiful boy is to not let anyone steal your happiness. No one stole his happiness. No one made him feel bad for not fitting into a box, because he would not let them. My son was strong, happy, amazing, and confident. We could all learn a lot from that boy. 

  My son was also an organ donor. He saved four lives, which makes us all very proud. He’s still changing lives, even in death. 

Blaine leaves behind a lot of people who loved and admired him. Jay Calhoon, his dad; his mother, Tabatha Calhoon; his grandpa and grandma, Dan and Deb Harris of Ekalaka, Mont.; his uncle, Dustin and Brenda Harris and cousin, Jaydan Harris, all of O’Neil, Neb. 

Last, but not least, every single life he touched while he was on this earth for 16 awesome years. I do not have the words to express how much he is missed, but I am proud to have been his mother. He was, and still is, my heart. Forever my heart, little boy.