I really hate to hear this. CTT, my heart goes out to you and your buddy's family.

Sorry for your loss, Charlie...I lost a good friend this past summer...it hurts and there's a great sense of loss...you have another reason to be thankful...one to remember every T'giving...

y'know, i dont know if its because we're getting older but this one hit me pretty hard. joe was the third of our gang to pass.
we lost our good friend robbie when he was just a baby. we were 15 and it was just the most tragic thing ever.
then a few years back we lost another good friend, kav. we were in our late 30's and nobody was shocked because of the turn his life had taken in his last few years, but a terrible loss, nonetheless.
but with joe, well, its still kind of surreal because he was this young (relatively speaking) tough little family man who had been enjoying the best years of his life up in vermont. he was a brilliant musician, a skilled craftsman and back in his day a great athlete. he moved to vermont about 7 years ago with his beautiful wife lauren and her daughter from a previous marriage. they had a little boy 5 years ago and this little guy just took joe by storm. i met joe when we were 15 and we immediately hit it off. we were bandmates and basically together all the time.
lauren was the daughter of an old friend of my parents and i've known her forever.
i guess the worst part of this whole thing is the family he left behind. his wife is in such terrible pain that it kills me even to speak to her. jesse wont remember much about his father and given enough time joe will be only a vague memory to his beloved son.
i'm sorry to ramble on like this but i guess its just part of my healing process. man, this sucks.

Ramble all you want Chuck. Let it out. That's what we're here for.
Find one good thing you guys liked even if it seems insignificant to some or do something small for his family. Then once a year, celebrate his life by remembering and doing that one little thing every year on that anniversary.

And if you can find a way to have that celebration be a reminder to his son of who he was, then his memory won't fade away...

My friend Nick passed away this past summer...standing in his hospital room w/all his family watching him labor for his last breaths was hard because I would have assumed him to be immortal...he was so full of life before he got sick, his passing would have never occurred to anyone...his family asked me to speak at his funeral, and to a standing room only large church, I recalled many of the good times that made Nick what he was...remember those times about your friend while you morn his passing...we all go at some time...apparently your friend left a worthwhile memory...smile when you think of him...

Every time I hear Don Henley sing a New York minute it crushes me just because of these types of things. Remember the times together with your friends and family. Be the best friend you can be to all who you know, in the end it is not the toys or the money, its those memories stored that are of great value. I always thought of photography, pictures of times together as one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone you care for because it catches these moments.
CTT keep a pic of your friend somewhere where you will see it often. In time it will not be something that makes you sad but something that brings a smile to your heart every day.

I am sorry to hear of your friends passing.


I am praying for you CTT, and your friends family.