Loss of a Softball Buddy

[kybearfuzz]

I found out this morning that one of the guys on my softball team passed away over the weekend.

Rob was one of the straight guys on my team and we'd played on the team together for years now. Tall, lanky, and blond, he was a lot of fun because he always took the gay jokes among us in stride. When I asked him once if our foolish gay antics ever made him uncomfortable, he told me no. He said he always enjoyed looking some of the hot girls running about, knowing that he was one of the few guys paying them any attention.

He often brought his then-wife and his kids to the games. This past year, he had gotten divorced, but still showed up with his two kids, both of whom are still in the single-digit ages. Often, we watched them in the dugout while he was on the field.

He had told us a few weeks ago that he wasn't going to be able to play with the team this year because he had taken a new work position and his hours conflicted with softball night. Still, I was confident that he might make it to the occasional game.

He was only 34. I'm not sure what happened. The visitation and service is this weekend.

It left me a bit stunned for most of the day. Life is short. ...

Comments

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

34 is much to young. And with young kids....damn. Sorry you lost your friend, Mark. ((Hugs))

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I agree. Thanks!

[texwriterbear.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that Mark. Big hugs.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Thanks furry bear!

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

That's awful.

What's a 'visitation'? Where everyone views the body? I think you guys do funerals very differently to how we do them here?

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I think there may be some differences from what I know.

A "visitation" (sometimes called a "viewing" or a "wake") is essentially where everyone comes to pay their respects. The deceased is usually there and we often hold them at funeral homes, where in the past people would be "laid out" (this might be a regional slang term) in their house.

[barak.livejournal.com]

That is very sad.

I think a loss of a parent is a loss at any age. My cousin passed about six months after his second son was born, and it is sad to realize no matter how involved his dad's family is in his life, he has no real memories of his father.

Of course I have a different perspective too, but... I have some thoughts tangentially related to this, but mostly due to something else that I'm still processing such a notion.

All you can do is honor the memories you have of your friend.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I didn't interact with his son much at the games as he was often playing in the sand box between the fields, but his daughter was a very precocious kid, often chatting up the guys and gals on the team. She was very close to him and I know this has to crush her.

[maxauburn.livejournal.com]

34 is very young from my perspective. ( I am almost 58)

That is too young to die.

It's all a body can do to keep moving forward when life throws you a curve ball.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I know. It's a sad case.

[dr-tectonic.livejournal.com]

My condolences.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Thanks... :)

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

I feel most for the kids. Losing their family and then shortly thereafter losing a parent is a memory they'll carry for the rest of their lives.