RIP Old Classmate

[Fjordforder]

I heard today that one of my old HS classmates passed away yesterday. Apparently a bunch of the other jocks (he was golden boy) came in from college out of state to celebrate his birthday by underage drinking (I`m a young`un, not the point). We ran in different circles so we never got terribly close. The story (according to another old classmate) was that while celebrating he began gurgling and his eyes rolled back. They rushed him to the hospital but he passed away too quickly.

So that`s what I learned today. Dunno what to say if we weren`t close, but I felt like I should say something.

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[Larrytpdx]

Bummer man. Sorry for the loss. I'm an old 'un, and it never gets easier. Best of luck to you.

 

[Fjordforder]

Thanks. To be (characteristically) brutally honest, I`m not likely to loose much sleep. Like I said, we were never very close. Not at odds, just ran in different circles.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

sorry man. ive had friends that died from suicide,OD, car wrecks, murder,etc... they ALL are hard to get thru. keep your head up. He's in a better place.

 

[Fjordforder]

Agreed.

 

[clearconscience]

Anytime someone you know, close or not, passes away it really makes your own mortality a reality.

Send a prayer to his family and loved ones and carry on. Live life, don't sweat the small stuff, and do what makes you happy.
I believe that's the best way to honor those who left us early.

 

[BDA.45]

I heard today that one of my old HS classmates passed away yesterday. Apparently a bunch of the other jocks (he was golden boy) came in from college out of state to celebrate his birthday by underage drinking (I`m a young`un, not the point). We ran in different circles so we never got terribly close. The story (according to another old classmate) was that while celebrating he began gurgling and his eyes rolled back. They rushed him to the hospital but he passed away too quickly.

So that`s what I learned today. Dunno what to say if we weren`t close, but I felt like I should say something.

If you know me personally then you would understand....His loss not yours. I'm not 1 to sugar coat sh!t. Did you shed a tear? Doesn't sound like it. Shrug......life man. bubblegum happens. His choice. I've been through a lot of !ucked up bubblegum in my short life and learned to deal with it. Cold blooded? No, just a realist. You wanna hear some f-ed up stuff hit me up. I've been through some bubblegumed up bubblegum. I'm pretty sure there's a number of dudes here who have gone through some bubblegum....it's life man. Unless it's a family member or close friend, bubblegum it. Life. That's what it is.......sorry to be an a-hole, I'm just blunt....

 

[rdb241]

Thanks. To be (characteristically) brutally honest, I`m not likely to loose much sleep. Like I said, we were never very close. Not at odds, just ran in different circles.

It sounds like you have a level head on your shoulders and have a realistic attitude about things. I have lost several high school classmates for one reason or another. After a couple, you eventually realize that death is a part of life.

 

[Stomper]

Under aged drinking... there's a pretty good reason 21 is the minimum age, parents letting their older kids have a beer or wine at home ON OCCASSION not withstanding.


I saw a LOT of young soldiers get tanked when they were on a post where the drinking age was under 21... and they became alcoholics within weeks/months because there was nothing there to apply the brakes. As long as they showed up on time and were "fit" for duty it was their business, but I sure saw a lot of squandered potential pass before my eyes.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

but I sure saw a lot of squandered potential pass before my eyes.

Squandered potential , one of the banes of a good Sergeants or Teachers existence .
Andy

 

[Stomper]

Squandered potential , one of the banes of a good Sergeants or Teachers existence .
Andy

Yeah buddy!

 

[BlackRyder]

Under aged drinking... there's a pretty good reason 21 is the minimum age, parents letting their older kids have a beer or wine at home ON OCCASSION not withstanding.

My personal theory is that the 21 yrs minimum age is one of the contributing factors to our country's young-person-alcohol-related-mortality-rate, and rate of alcoholism.
Kind of like the forbidden fruit theory that mas ayoob talks about in regards to guns and young people, where he says that if you let kids handle guns (safely!) when they want to, and don't treat guns like some mysterious totem of death that need to be kept hidden from their delicate minds, kids will learn a healthy attitude towards firearms and treat them safely and with respect. I think in general this theory applies to everything that kids might be interested in (within reason, obviously - I'm not going to let my 7 year old watch furry porn or something...)
Countries that don't have a minimum drinking age have lower rates of alcoholism and alcohol related deaths.
Their biggest alcohol problems are Young Americans who go there on holiday and immediately freak out and overindulge on the "forbidden fruit".

 

[lowly monk]

I use to go to weddings, Now funerals. Live, Love, Laugh.

 

[11Charlie]

I can tell you this. I'm not old or young but the one thing I will hold for the rest of my breathing days is LIFE IS SHORT!!! Love your family and friends, never leave anything unsaid or undone. You never know when your going to regret not giving someone a hug and telling them that you love them.

Things happen to good people everyday whether you know them or not.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

 

[orygun]

Losing friends and acquaintances pretty much sucks. I remember being a year or so out of high school when I heard about the first classmate passing away. Like the OP, I knew the gal, but wasn't close with her. Still, even then I thought it was way too young to be snuffed out.

 

[teflon6string]

I moved out of state for 25 years last century and totally lost track of everyone here.

Then nearly 20 years ago I ran into a gal in San Diego who went to my Portland HS (had I stuck around). Over 2 beers, she ran down a long list of people who'd died since she graduated in '72... DOZENS! All people I remember as healthy teens from Indian Guides, scouting, boxing, my sister's Bluebirds, family friends, etc.

Goes to show how easy it is to assume that everyone we can't see is surviving life's twisty road the same as we are. And it's only natural to be curious about how/why we're still here while they no longer are.

 

[The Heretic]

Not sure how old you are, but this kind of thing, back when I was a teenager, was part of the beginning of the realization that I wasn't immortal. After high school classmates got out into the real world and some started dying as a result.

Even then it was kind of a "that can't happen to me" kind of thing until I got into the military.

Even then, it was "sometimes people die" kind of thing.

The last ten years or so, I have come to grasp my own mortality more. My father died about ten years ago, and this last year there have been four deaths in my family, first my mom, then my niece, then my aunt then shortly afterwards her husband. My parent's generation is almost all gone.

Given my family history and my health, I may not have much more than another decade to go, certainly not more than two decades. Seems like a short time now. Make the most of it.

We all die sooner or later and we should live our lives with the realization that it can happen at anytime - we should appreciate the life we have now because tomorrow it may be gone. We should thankful for our family and friends today, because tomorrow they may be gone.

 

[Fjordforder]

Hey all. I apologize for my absence, my computer`s toast and so I`ve been using a borrowed machine, only got it back now.

I agree with the points made, especially that things like booze and guns lose their allure if the kid is slowly accustomed to it. My dad drank when I was little, if memory serves it was mostly Fireball or Jim Beam in his coffee in the mornings. He would sometimes bring out his pellet guns for us to mess with. Now I have that old Crosman BB Revolver. I`ve taught people to shoot on it even.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Sorry man.

Everyone sees his own mortality, in varying degrees, in the death of someone he knows. Especially if that person dies long before his time.

 

[rdb241]

Sorry man.

Everyone sees his own mortality, in varying degrees, in the death of someone he knows. Especially if that person dies long before his time.

That is so true. My mother was taken from me in 1986 by a drunk driver at the age of 45. Way to young.