Cooper Lins came into the world with a curious mind. From the very beginning, he
wanted to learn everything. He would fixate on things, learn EVERYTHING about
them, and then share all of the facts with you. And if he couldn’t learn about
something on his own, Cooper wasn’t afraid to ask questions. Lots of them!

To Cooper, everyone was a friend. Sometimes he didn’t even need to know
someone’s name. If he met you, you were simply “Friend,” and you were
welcomed with the same openness and kindness he offered to everyone. He had a
way of making people feel seen and included, just by being exactly who he was.

He didn’t do anything halfway. Cooper felt life deeply. His laughter filled a room.
When he loved someone, he loved them completely. His heart was never held back
—it was always fully in whatever he cared about. He was a wonderful role model
to his younger brother and was quick to join in on his older sister’s ideas of fun.

Like any adventurous spirit, Cooper liked to test the edges of things. His intense
curiosity meant he pushed boundaries sometimes—but most of the time he tried to
keep one toe on the line...just barely though. In those times when he couldn’t quite
drag that last toe enough to remain on the line, he needed a timeout. Sometimes he
even needed a little help staying in it if you were to turn his back on him for a
minute :) But even then, his spirit remained strong—full of life, humor, and a little
bit of mischief.

One of Cooper’s greatest superpowers was kindness. He could almost always find
something good to say about everyone. A simple compliment or a moment of
encouragement from Cooper had a way of making people feel a little brighter and a
little more important in a way that wasn’t typical of someone so young.

Cooper’s spirit was meant to be free. He reminded the people around him that life
isn’t just about rules and structure—it’s also about joy, curiosity, courage, and
heart. Like Bodee, Cooper fancied himself a dancer, even joining a dance team.
And through it all, Cooper carried a truth that was bigger than anything else: he
knew that he was super duper—and in his own special way, he helped everyone
around him feel like they were a little super duper too.

That was Cooper’s gift to the world: curiosity, courage, kindness, and a heart that
loved fully.

Let’s all try to “Be a Cooper.”