I got incredibly sad news tonight. I .... I don't know what to write.... I wish I knew how to say this without it sounding dramatic or whatever, but I just need to record this for future reference, I suppose. I'm not looking for sympathy for myself. Maybe if you read it, it might make you stop to think of the people in your life that you care about. The people on the fringes of your life that you don't go out of your way to let them know you care... And if there are people on the fringes of your life that you care about, but haven't said it lately - do it. Now.
I learned tonight that a couple that I have known practically my whole life (we moved in next door to them when I was 3 years old) was found dead in their house last night. Details are sketchy right now, but it appears he died about a month ago and it appeared she's been gone about a week.
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The backstory is that their only child, a son, was murdered 11 years ago (the month after my dad died) and they have never been the same since. They have been incredibly depressed and I found out tonight that almost 2 years ago, he put her into an in-patient mental facility because he feared she might endanger herself. This family has been through so much and their health was failing due to their emotional state. They weren't very old, I think about in their 60s, their son was my friend, only a couple years older than me.
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I have stayed in touch with them for all these years, though I hadn't heard back from them in the last year - maybe more? They usually sent a letter back, thanking me for the pictures of the girls and telling me of this or that going on with them (usually health issues) and asking me to write again with details on what the girls were doing. Two years ago, when we were in Ohio for my class reunion, we tried to visit them. I was saddened when I went to their door and they didn't answer - even though I KNEW they were home - and shouted it through the door. I guess that Christmas was the last letter I received from Jane. She responded to the letter I mailed after that failed visit. But I didn't hear from her after my last 2-3 letters.
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I am sad to know that they had cut themselves off from all their friends and family in the last year or so. I am sad they suffered as they did since the loss of their son. I am sad people don't have as much mercy as I know God does. I am sad I didn't specifically say to them "I care about you and think of you and pray for you and I love you."
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I pray they are finally at peace and united IN HEAVEN with their son.
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by the way, there's more behind the scenes
