Wild Boar
03-19-2008, 08:59 PM
The phone call came at 3:15am. Any time the phone rings at that time of night, I always get a lump in my throat. I'm concerned that someone is calling us to tell us that something has happened to my 77 year old dad, my 75 year old mother-in-law (whom I adore) or my wife's 106 year old grandfather. Of course it's normally some drunk idiot who dialed the wrong phone number for their drug hookup or bootycall.
This morning we got one of those phone calls. It wasn't regarding anyone we would've expected. The best man from my wedding, one of my most trusted friends, passed away at the age of 31 after complications from gall bladder removal. He leaves behind a wife and two sons ages 3 years and 5 months. His father-in-law called to let us know about the tragedy. My wife and I, both of us more than 10 years older than my friend, sat stunned for the rest of the evening. I just kept thinking that this just couldn't be true and that someone was playing a sick joke or that this was just some horrible nightmare we would soon awaken from.
Dave was a good man. He was decent and honorable. His moral compass did not waver and he was always there for his friends. He had the toughness of his father, a retired career Army NCO but it was tempered by great compassion. He was a fierce competitor in sports but never cheated or used cheep shots.
Tonight our mutual friends are planning to get together, to talk, to raise a glass in his honor and to celebrate his life even as we mourn his loss. Next to losing my mother, this is the toughest personal loss I've ever encountered.
This morning we got one of those phone calls. It wasn't regarding anyone we would've expected. The best man from my wedding, one of my most trusted friends, passed away at the age of 31 after complications from gall bladder removal. He leaves behind a wife and two sons ages 3 years and 5 months. His father-in-law called to let us know about the tragedy. My wife and I, both of us more than 10 years older than my friend, sat stunned for the rest of the evening. I just kept thinking that this just couldn't be true and that someone was playing a sick joke or that this was just some horrible nightmare we would soon awaken from.
Dave was a good man. He was decent and honorable. His moral compass did not waver and he was always there for his friends. He had the toughness of his father, a retired career Army NCO but it was tempered by great compassion. He was a fierce competitor in sports but never cheated or used cheep shots.
Tonight our mutual friends are planning to get together, to talk, to raise a glass in his honor and to celebrate his life even as we mourn his loss. Next to losing my mother, this is the toughest personal loss I've ever encountered.