Sunday, October 26, 2008

Saying Goodbye

I got an email from a friend of mine earlier this week that a childhood friend of ours, Stuart, had died a few days prior. In the email was a copy of the very brief obituary. But the part I kept reading over and over, was that Stuart was dead at age 42. We were friends since elementary school. We got to be very good friends in jr. high and high school. He had a charisma about him that drew people to him. After high school we took very different paths and we eventually lost regular contact. He had a very tough time in his late teens and early 20's. After some serious setbacks in his life, he seemed to really turn things around for the better. We last talked about 8 years ago. He was the proudest of fathers. I was very happy for him. We soon lost contact again. Although it is still speculative, it seems he may have continued struggling with some of his previous demons. I recently talked to an old friend about him and regret not asking for his contact information. He's someone I figured I'd always catch up with from time to time. I'm sad at his loss and will miss my old friend.


Stuart (on the left) with Mike and Darrel on the day of our 6th grade culmination. June 1978



A friend forwarded me a more recent picture of Stuart from his myspace page.



16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just stare into those old photos...what once was and what is now. Hows and whys, hows and whys did we get from then to now...So sorry for your loss.

Grafted Branch said...

:( I'm so sorry to hear this about your friend, Robert.

I know the feeling of finding out that one of our contemporaries has perished. One of my high school's cheerleaders died in childbirth with her 2nd baby. That stayed with me a long time.

Lacey Lichi said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. I think it is especially hard without the closure of knowing him as he was in recent years. There are many people that I think of often and really need to get in touch with and time passes and opportunities are lost. Stories like this always make me want to look them all up.
I've missed it around here. Your life looks like it's been about as crazy as mine! Any news on the business front?

Raven said...

So sorry for your loss. It's always hard when someone passes so young - before what our egos think should be their time. For all his troubles, he was clearly loved and that seems to me to say that, whatever else, his was a life well lived.

Raven said...

So sorry for your loss. It's always hard when someone passes so young - before what our egos think should be their time. For all his troubles, he was clearly loved and that seems to me to say that, whatever else, his was a life well lived.

Robin said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. 42 is much too young. My heart goes out to all who knew and loved Stuart.

Erin Faye said...

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It makes us all realize just how precious life is!

Anonymous said...

I am really sorry to hear about your long time friend :(

It's always hard to hear these things and the what-ifs that come along.

Horsoon said...

It's sad to loose a friend. It's always at times like this we regret for things we didn't do but should've done... So wait no more, treasure the moment, it's later than you think!

Dianne - Bunny Trails said...

I hate to sound cliche, but I truly am sorry for your loss. We just never know, but until we're there, we don't always get that. Praying that God will comfort you.

Kaylia Metcalfe said...

So sorry to read this Robert, you are in my thoughts.

I have lost a few people in the last few months… no one I was super close to, but people who influenced me nonetheless.

—mental internet hugs—

Anonymous said...

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. His family and friends (including you) are in my prayers.

Anndi said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. There are some friendships that don't lose their meaning, no matter how long the stretches of time get between conversations.

Anndi said...

Oh... I forgot. A little birdie told me you just had a birthday?

Hope it was filled with love and comfort with your lovely family.

photowannabe said...

I'm sorry to hear of your friends loss. Maybe somehow he knew you still cared even though time had separated you two.
I often wonder what happened to some of my friends that I thought would always be in my life.

Shelly said...

So sorry to hear of your loss. I think of your love for Lily and how you told us that he was the proudest of fathers.