To those who went before us

[EWG]

A thread to honor those that have gone on to the next realm but who have left their mark in our hearts.

Tonight I crack a beer to my grandfather on his birthday. Hard working blue collar guy, family man with three daughters, sharp wit who never stopped, bookie, card shark who taught me to play at 4 which later set me up with spending money in college, dude who charged 12 year old me a quarter to carry his clubs and called it caddy lessons, bettor of horses, crinkler of beer cans, bb shooter of crows, raiser of tremendous tomatos and roses, sketchy quoter of Shakespeare Kipling John Wayne and the Bible, singer of songs meant only for himself, turner of a cool phrase, and one of the funniest men I ever met.

I hear you. Don’t worry, I’ll play those cards right. Life ain’t no piece of cake. And like you preached to us, you don’t always have to do what they tell you to do.

I miss you, brother.

[gravitylover]

RIP Grandpa. He sounds like a cool guy.

[TBS]

Yesterday was my daughters birthday
She died of cancer at age 10 in 1997
Miss ya Cori

[EWG]

Yesterday was my daughters birthday
She died of cancer at age 10 in 1997
Miss ya Cori

That’s beyond tough. Glad you still mark the day.

[Danno]

Yesterday was my daughters birthday
She died of cancer at age 10 in 1997
Miss ya Cori

I have a 10 year old daughter, I cannot even imagine. The OP said "to honor those that have gone on to the next realm but who have left their mark in our hearts", yeah, that is a huge mark on your heart. Peace.

[snowaddict91]

When my dad passed away at 51, my grandma told me "no one should have to see their child pass, it's not supposed to work that way."

Not a day goes by that I don't miss my dad, but I'm so thankful for the memories that I do have.

[MakersTeleMark]

I can only imagine the strength that you carry. I know what it is like to lose someone too young, and I struggle very deeply with imagining what the next few decades could have been, but I continually rest myself with the precious moments I was able to experience and honor that. A little booster strength to you from me.

[MakersTeleMark]

When my dad passed away at 51, my grandma told me "no one should have to see their child pass, it's not supposed to work that way."

Not a day goes by that I don't miss my dad, but I'm so thankful for the memories that I do have.

When my father passed, my grandmother who brought him over solo across the pond, taught me more than I can even describe, dressed in all black, and just us in the front row, just absolutely crushed my hand and kept saying why? and kept calling me his name, Why?. I don't wish that on anyone.

[EWG]

Our first child, our son, was stillborn. Incredibly difficult, incredible loss, and absolutely life altering for my wife and I. You will likely read about it here on his birthday in a couple months.

As snowaddict says, children are supposed outlive their parents. TBS, you have our thoughts.

[Caucasian Asian]

This is a picture of my grandparents on their wedding day.
My grandfather died of TB in an internment camp during WWII. My father was 3 and has no memory of what his dad was like.
My grandmother raised two small children as a single mother with no education, not being able to speak English, and still was able to send money and goods back to family in Japan. She was a strong, proud woman.
Toast to her.


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[spanghew]

This is a picture of my grandparents on their wedding day.
My grandfather died of TB in an internment camp during WWII. My father was 3 and has no memory of what his dad was like.
My grandmother raised two small children as a single mother with no education, not being able to speak English, and still was able to send money and goods back to family in Japan. She was a strong, proud woman.
Toast to her.


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Sad to hear. Which camp? As a point of order, ‘internment’ is a misnomer, as American citizens can’t be interned, only incarcerated. And 2/3 of incarcerees were citizens, while most of the remaining third would have been citizens were it not for anti-Asian laws. By strict definition, the camps were concentration camps, but some people’s heads explode at that.


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[Dantheman]

As we were going to bed around 11:00 pm AC told me she *thought* she had just felt a contraction. This was two weeks out from her due date, so I figured it might not actually be anything and if it was it would probably be a while and I should get some sleep. She wakes me up at 2:00 am saying we need to go NOW. Drove like a bat out of hell to the birth center, pulled into the parking lot, jumped out of the car and ran around to her side, opened her door and boom, baby. A dead baby.

She had probably died 4-5 days before. The midwife had not arrived yet, so there we were alone in a parking lot in the middle of the night holding our lifeless child. Called 911 and administered CPR that I knew was futile while we waited for the EMTs and the midwife. EMTs and the midwife arrive shortly who wrap the body in a blanket and I hold her while they help AC, who is still in the passenger seat, deliver the placenta and make sure she is generally stable. Ambo ride to the hospital, made calls to family while they stitched up some tears, family members arrive, hours of uncontrollable sobbing.

We didn't want to let her go, but she had begun take on a strong odor of death and we knew there was nothing left to do but walk away. We laid her down on the bed, held her little fingers a bit longer (the outer layers of skin came off of most of her body on her way through the birth canal, but her hands still had all their skin), thanked the nurse and walked out into the heat of the late-morning July sun. In-laws drove us home and we were home by 11:00 am. It was a completely surreal experience, over eight years ago now and I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I have made peace with it. When you can crawl out from the depths of something like that average days seem pretty damn happy. But, I still miss my little Naomi so much.

TBS and EWG, I hope you guys are all right.

[Caucasian Asian]

Sad to hear. Which camp? As a point of order, ‘internment’ is a misnomer, as American citizens can’t be interned, only incarcerated. And 2/3 of incarcerees were citizens, while most of the remaining third would have been citizens were it not for anti-Asian laws. By strict definition, the camps were concentration camps, but some people’s heads explode at that.


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They were interned in New Denver. There’s a really good museum there now.


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[stealurface831]

To Jane,

You were a light in my life and as good a friend as I could have have asked for.

Much love always.

Diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and dead six months later at 18.

Ain't cancer a bitch.

[AK47bp]

Jesus. Was not prepared to read these stories.

Condolences to those who lost people, especially the children.

Unimaginable to me and I weep just thinking about it.


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[altachic]

Death is inevitable but NO ONE should ever lose a child or partner before them. IT JUST SUCKS.
DTM summed up our experience to a T. Those memories are incredibly vivid. It was the hardest things I have ever been through in my 40 years of living yet.
Miss our Naomi Jane everyday but I'm thankful to have people around me that are there for me and for working through it with time and professional therapy.
Rest in Peace to all those before us indeed.

[CarlMega]

these are very good looking people.

[TBS]

Thank you all for the kind words.
DTM/AC and EWG, my heart goes out to you. Dan, your story of Naomi made me cry.

Enough time has passed and emotional scar tissue built up that I can look back fondly and without anguish on our time with Corinna, however short. I still thank her for painting me sunrises in the morning on the way to the mountain.

Had fun today working with some budding 9yo racers - Ski Devils Represent!

Peace and love to all of you as you remember those who were part of your life.

[ntblanks]

Caddy lessons.

What a character.

Peace.

[spanghew]

Thanks for that. I know next to nothing about Canadian internments, but now I will try to find out more.

[MakersTeleMark]

Wow. I need a real towel. I've had someone splatter their head open and spray my whole body in blood and fall past me, but that was a tough nut to swallow. We, the living, are stronger for it. I suppose. I can only imagine what war is really like, and I don't care to find out.

Grieving is a very long privileged and enriching process. For good or bad.

[FortySixMac]

Wow. I need a real towel. I've had someone splatter their head open and spray my whole body in blood and fall past me, but that was a tough nut to swallow. We, the living, are stronger for it. I suppose. I can only imagine what war is really like, and I don't care to find out.

Grieving is a very long privileged and enriching process. For good or bad.

Can you elaborate more on your thoughts of grieving being privileged and enriching? Genuinely interested and curious.


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