For the loss of our dear friend and neighbor, Russ Thompson. It just is. He and his wife are the most Christ-like people we've ever known.
Just a few months ago he was giving me rides to therapy, and was happy to do it, despite me being worried that it was a bother. He said it wasn't and that he was happy to help.
This is the kind of people they are. That he was.
We only found out half an hour ago that he died, we must've got lost in the shuffle because we were very good friends, and, well, I called his wife half an hour ago, to ask how he was doing (he had leukemia) and she said, "You don't know?" and I said I didn't, although of course what she said next was unfortunately made apparent by the You don't know question . . . he had died. I felt like a complete JERK for asking her, "How's Russ doing?" and there she was, about to leave for the funeral home for the viewing. How jarring must that have been for her.
When my daughter overheard my shock as I exclaimed, "WHAT?" as she told me he was dead, she knew who I was talking to and so she guessed what had happened and burst into loud sobs.
How do you go to the viewing of a loved one just an hour or two after learning they've died? Two weeks ago we'd heard they were going to look into bone marrow transplant to extend his life, though not save it. So while I knew he'd eventually pass, I wasn't prepared much for right now. And now, to go see him laying there, dead and peaceful, so soon after the shock of the news, well, I know I'm going to lose it, and I don't want to make things harder for his wife whens he sees me losing it, but I'm not a robot. So how do I go and face this? I don't want to see him lying there.
How do I help my daughter through this?
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