Today is the birthday of my friend Deb's son - Alex. He was born in an ambulance on the way to hospital 32 years ago.
He died just over 2 years ago. Too impatient to wait to start life he managed to leave it too fast and too sudden as well.
He died the day before I went into hospital to have surgery. I found out checking my emails the next morning. I cried all the way into hospital, thinking of my friend and how huge a hole his passing must have left in her heart. I never met him, but I felt like I knew him through his mother's eyes. All her stories about him... he was a loving son and a loyal friend.
He died just over 2 years ago. Too impatient to wait to start life he managed to leave it too fast and too sudden as well.
He died the day before I went into hospital to have surgery. I found out checking my emails the next morning. I cried all the way into hospital, thinking of my friend and how huge a hole his passing must have left in her heart. I never met him, but I felt like I knew him through his mother's eyes. All her stories about him... he was a loving son and a loyal friend.
Loved by so many - gone too soon.
I cried because I understood how that feels. My cousin, Frank, died on a Valentine's Day morning when he was 23 years old. Loved by so many - gone far too soon.
Frank's brother once said to me how he wondered whether it wasn't more a tragedy to live a long drab empty life and die old. Frank died young, but his short life was filled to overflowing.
In that respect everything I know about Alex reminds me of my cousin, Frank. They were both such bright souls. It's as if the really bright lives burn out fast, but while they are here they touch everyone with their amazing brightness.
The song below is for Alex, and Frank, and for all the bright short lives that leave such an impact in the time they share with us.
...
Frank's brother once said to me how he wondered whether it wasn't more a tragedy to live a long drab empty life and die old. Frank died young, but his short life was filled to overflowing.
In that respect everything I know about Alex reminds me of my cousin, Frank. They were both such bright souls. It's as if the really bright lives burn out fast, but while they are here they touch everyone with their amazing brightness.
The song below is for Alex, and Frank, and for all the bright short lives that leave such an impact in the time they share with us.
Rest in peace all the young souls taken too soon...the first time I experienced this was when my cousin died in a motorbike accident when he was just a week or so prior to his 21st birthday. I can say that he was the handsomest guy among the cousins and he loved playing the guitar. His mother, my aunt, screamed and sobbed for hours on end - even when her tears were dry already, she still screamed and sobbed...that was the most heart-wrecking sound I've ever heard so far...
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to your friend. It must be a very hard time for her. As parents, we expect our children to outlive us. No parent should have to bury their child. It rips your heart and soul out.
ReplyDeleteA lovely blog and tribute, my friend.
When life doesn't seem fair ...
ReplyDeleteJune in Oz
I have known several who left us too soon. Well written post, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteAmel
ReplyDeleteYour poor Aunt and family! :-((( It's horrible to go through an unexpected death, but to have a death of a child... that has to be the worst kind of pain.
Tint
Big hugs for you and your own loss of your little daughter.
Hi June
Very true.
Daisy
Thank you. It's such a hard topic to talk about, but so important to those who lose loved ones to not let them be forgotten.
it's terrible to have an untimely death. My best friend died when he was 27.
ReplyDeleteSince the death of young people is so sad, so GUTWRENCHING, I think it is pretty hard to say that a "long, drab empty life" is more tragic. (Empty by whose standards?) But that's just my opinion.