My Friend / Coworker died Tuesday

johnkitchens

A good friend of mine that I have known for almost 20 years died on Tuesday afternoon. We worked for the same company. He was one of our managers that I dealt with on a daily basis. He was in his upper 60's, but he still worked like a Trojan everyday. 

He was diagnosed with lung cancer about a year ago. He fought so hard, and I respect him so much for it.  Not to say that we didn't have our differences at times. We did and we occasionally butted heads, but we hadn't had a blow up in about 10 years.  He was the type of guy that would do anything for you, and the only thing that really made him mad was laziness. He couldn't stand it when someone didn't do their job to the best of their ability. 

He wanted all of his employees to give their all and most of them did or they didn't hang around too long. He also had a great sense of humor and was a people person. He was a car enthusiast particularly old hot rods and corvettes and was known to go to a good car show no matter how far away at the drop of a hat. 

He farmed for a living until he sold out and came to work for us. My 15 year old son has known him his entire life and worked with him this summer. When we told him the bad news after school on Tuesday he lost it. He cried steadily for over an hour. He is tenderhearted like his daddy. 

I knew the end was coming, but I still kept thinking he had more time, but he didn't. I have done pretty good dealing with this until I went to his visitation earlier tonight. 

As soon as I walked in they had a memorial video playing on the tv showing a lot of old pictures. He was so young in some of them I didn't even recognize him, but then they started showing more recent pics of him. I felt the grief hit me like a wave, and I lost it right there in front of everyone. It was bad. My son lost it before I did so the two of us were bawling our eyes out thinking about our buddy. 

When I went through the line I hugged his wife and children, and I couldn't even speak. I wanted to tell them how sorry I was and how much I loved him, but my tears were flowing, and I couldn't speak. I could tell by the look on their face that words weren't necessary. They knew how I felt. 

Tomorrow we say goodbye. I will miss him not only as a friend but a great coworker that I relied on. I know life is precious and that people die everyday, but most of us seem to kind of get numb to it until it hits home. At least it is that way for me. 

Sorry for the long rambling post, and no I haven't been drinking. I just want to pay tribute to a friend. 

 

SGH

My heart felt condolences my friend. I lost my father to mesothelioma so I know the agony all to well. Wish y'all the very best my friend and sorry for your loss. And ramble all that you want my friend.

tulocay

May he Rip.

OmahaOne

Good friends are hard to find. Sorry for your loss. I raise a toast to your friend and will say a prayer for your family and his... 

Tjcoley

Sorry for your troubles. Thoughts and prayers with you and the family.

hapster

Sorry for your loss... It's times and events like this that help to remind us of what's really important, on where are focus should be everyday...

May he rest in peace.

shtgunal3

Sorry for your loss...

jmarbs21

Sorry for your loss bro

SoCalTim

I know both this loss and pain. God Bless You.

RRP

I lost my mentor who was a career AF man before I graduated from college in 1966. My mentor was trained in the theory then that he could not be properly promoted until he developed his own replacement. GOD rest your soul Lt Col George Kirkpatrick, Retd. SIR

NPHuskerFL

I know your pain oh too well. So sorry for your loss. Cherish the fond memories of your friend. May he finally have peace.
Side note: as a Cancer survivor and having lost several family and friends to this monster. I say eff you Cancer!!!
Bless him and all his family and friends.

SGH

@NPHuskerFL‌
I concur fully brother husker. On a side note I'm sorry to hear that you had C. But I'm thankful that you are a survivor my friend.

Zmokin

So sorry to hear of your loss.  It's the ones we feel closest to that hurt the most.
The saying "Real men don't cry" is balderdash, Real men do cry.  My eyes are getting moist just thinking about how intense your sorrow must be.

ksmyrl

Prayers to you, your family, and his family. Cancer sucks. My dad is battling it for the third time (prostate, lung, now brain). I cherish every moment I have w him. You are not alone dude! Hang in there. @NPHuskerFL‌ I'm with ya...eff you effing cancer.

Legume

Great tribute man - you said it well.

Skiddymarker

You did tell his family how sorry you were and how much you loved him - actions mean more than words can ever say. So sorry for your loss, our condolences to the family. Peace be with you. 

SmyrnaGA

My heart go out to you, your family, and his family. After my mom passed away, I was in a deep depression for many years. Those were dark times. I slowly came to realize that she wouldn't want me to be live that way. So I moved to Georgia to start a new life. Meet the love of my life a few years later. And being a foodie, she bought me my first Green Egg for Christmas back in 2010.

Morn for now, but, know that there will be good days ahead of ya.

Fred19Flintstone

It's tough to watch someone close to you lose the fight against cancer. It takes them piece by piece. I lost my first wife to ovarian cancer. It damn near destroyed me. It was a good thing I had my daughter. My daughter turned 9 the day after her momma passed. She needed her daddy, not a drunk. And we both drew strength from The Lord.

Be strong.

JRWhitee

Sorry for your loss John I have been there too my friend. 

grege345

My condolences.

MaskedMarvel

So sorry to read this JK. You're in my thoughts and prayers

jmcnutt5

Sorry to hear that.  I myself am almost one year removed (Sept. 12) from losing a coworker.  We had set beside each other for over three years and he was a great guy.  Got a call late in the evening that he had a motorcylce wreck.  Went straight to the hospital and waited until the early hours of the morning until they finally borke the news to us.  It didn't really hit me until the next morning driving into work that he was never going to be there again.  He was 28 years old. 

I guess we sometimes never realize what we have until it is taken away from us.  To say this past year has been a struggle is an understatement.  However, while it has not been easy for me or his other friends, I know it must have been and still is unbearable for his parents, sister, and other family members.  I wish there was some good advice I could give you, but this stuff can seem so unfair sometimes.  The only thing I know to do is have trust in the Lord.

I guess I say all that to tell you that you have my deepest condolences and you and his family will be in my prayers.

johnkitchens

Thank you so much guys. 

fence0407

Very well said John. My condolences to your friend, his family and your family. 

GATraveller

Lost my best friend to lung cancer as well and man is it tough.  God bless.

gamason

Prayers to you and his family during this difficult time!

SPRIGS

So sorry for your loss.  I guess I am tenderhearted like you and your son as I got a tear in my eye reading that.  Very nice tribute to your friend! 

WAR

So sorry . .  There are fewer and fewer good men like him left.

jcaspary

Sorry for your loss, prayers to your family and his.

henapple

I too just lost a friend to cancer. 50 years young and a set of 9 year old twins. I hadn't seen him till recently. About two years ago we hhooked up on Facebook. A long painful fight.

Rabidgoose

I'm sorry for your loss, my condolences to you as well as his family.  True friends are the ones you can fight with and still be friends.

**A friend will bail you out of jail in the middle of the night.....A good friend will be in jail with you.**