The departed
- Thread starter Dreambeliever
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
Sorry to hear it Holle, thoughts with everyone concerned.
Yesterday I attended a funeral for a girl who worked for me, she was 28 at the very most. She found out she had cervical cancer about 2 years ago (maybe around the time Jade Goody died???). Anyway, it was found pretty early and treated successfully. She came back and worked a bit on and off. About a year ago the cancer raised it's ugly head in a far more aggressive way and nothing could be done.
She got married 5 months ago, poor husband must be heart broken.
I wasn't close to her and didn't see her outside work, I just felt awkward about what I should do but her sister worked for me too so I sort of kept in touch through her. At the funeral all the people who did readings/poems were actually staff members that I had brought with me from my previous job and had become really close friends with her over the last 5 years. I'm probably kidding myself in thinking I made a difference to her by introducing these people to her while I did nothing myself.
RIP Phil.
Taken too young. So it goes.
She got married 5 months ago, poor husband must be heart broken.
I wasn't close to her and didn't see her outside work, I just felt awkward about what I should do but her sister worked for me too so I sort of kept in touch through her. At the funeral all the people who did readings/poems were actually staff members that I had brought with me from my previous job and had become really close friends with her over the last 5 years. I'm probably kidding myself in thinking I made a difference to her by introducing these people to her while I did nothing myself.
RIP Phil.
Taken too young. So it goes.
You did make a difference. You were a major link in the chain which brought those people into her life and made it better. The fact that her life was a short one makes what you did all the more valuable.
Thoughts and prayers.
Thoughts and prayers.
Well said Jules ... You're a mensch Bradley ole chap.
Lads what a thread. Only found this now. So touching. I fell out with my father for many reasons, well one specifically back in 2006. He'd pretty much torn the family apart. Three times over. While I cut him off, Now, tbh, it just doesn't seem right to think I won't see him till the day he dies. Or vice versa, despite what he did. I've started a small texting dialogue with him, sending him pictures of the kids. Not sure where it's going, but the silent treatment won't work for me.
You never know, your reaction to his previous behaviour just *might* have brought about some sort of change in him. Even if it hasn't and your contacts don't increase from here, you'll know you did all you could to keep the pot boiling at least.
Good luck.
Good luck.
thanks JJ, kind words.
One of my best friends died last night due to complications in a heart operation. He was only 19.
Aside from the sadness I think I just feel empty. When my Grandad died i could accept it because he was 90 but when someone is taken so young I can't express exactly how i feel. I think it feels good to just put it out in the open though.
Aside from the sadness I think I just feel empty. When my Grandad died i could accept it because he was 90 but when someone is taken so young I can't express exactly how i feel. I think it feels good to just put it out in the open though.
Really sorry to hear that SO. I lost a few close friends when I was around that age. Tragic.
Sorry for your loss, Onions. I lost one of my best mates from school at that age, to leukaemia. We had gone to the same university as well, but he went into hospital back home during our first Christmas holiday as undergrads and never came out.
I hope you're doing alright mate. I didn't know Simon as well as you did but I was deeply shocked when I heard the news.
Sorry to hear that mate SO & Chan ... rip Simon.
Really sorry to hear that Dan. I can empathize with how you're feeling mate. I lost a mate who was 21 who died in the troubles in Northern Ireland via a proxy bomb and one who was 23 to cancer. Both were a real struggle to bring yourself to terms with as they were so young and had so much in front of them in life. The pain and shock you're feeling will ease but the fact a friend died so young can be a challenge for someone to reconcile.
Cheers lads, i think the worst part is just how much of a hole that he's left. We've all been trying to keep ourselves busy so we don't have to come to terms with it but it's a struggle.
Lost a close mate a few years back. In a way I'm still grieving for him because I never came to terms with losing him so suddenly. Try not to bottle things up and "be a man" about it. All that tends to is push it deeper inside.
I went to an organisation called CRUSE which helped me immensely to understand grief and bereavement. Its free too. Gives you someone to talk to about your feelings and that. Its not for everyone but if you feel lost then its worth a try.
My sympathy to you, your friends and his family.
My father in law, born and bred in Oxford, was a mere nineteen years old when, as a sergeant in the British Army Air Corps, Glider Pilot Regiment, he flew a Horsa glider with it's cargo of heavy guns and munitions in to Arnhem, Holland. This battle is frequently referred to as "A Bridge Too Far". After successfully unloading his cargo he joined the fighting, but after four days he sustained a serious bullet injury to the face, subsequently resulting in him losing his right eye, was over run by German forces and taken prisoner. After seven months and many tall tales as a POW he made his escape. The escape itself is a huge tale to tell and amazingly he managed to traverse war torn Europe from his point of escape in Germany to his home in Oxford in almost exactly seven days, in itself quite the feat.
Because of the loss of his eye and other injuries sustained in the war he was discharged from the army soon after V.E. day , and he went to work in Morris Motors, Oxford, training and qualifying as a mechanical engineer. He was offered and accepted a two year secondment to Dublin where he was to help in the setting up of a Morris Minor assembly plant. His stay in Dublin became a permanent one when he met and married my mother in law. He eventually left Morris Motors to set up his own business as an insurance assessor and became one of the most respected figures in the industry.
Retirement didn't mean that he slowed down at all and he gave a lot of his time to the British Legion in Dublin, representing his fellow army veterans. He also became an accomplished wood turner and one of my most treasured possessions is a large wooden salad bowl turned by his gifted hands. Despite being so busy he never lost sight of his main priority in life which was his family. He was a loving, generous and interested Granddad right up to his passing.
Despite being held in such high esteem in so many quarters he was still extremely humble, enjoying all variety of company and conversation. His great sense of humour was often wicked but never malicious. He was always good company and I have many things to be grateful to him for, most important of all his younger daughter.
We had a great chat just a few days before he died and he said that for a father in law and a son in law we had got on all right.
We got on a lot, lot more than all right. I am really going to miss the old bugger.
RIP Johnny.
Because of the loss of his eye and other injuries sustained in the war he was discharged from the army soon after V.E. day , and he went to work in Morris Motors, Oxford, training and qualifying as a mechanical engineer. He was offered and accepted a two year secondment to Dublin where he was to help in the setting up of a Morris Minor assembly plant. His stay in Dublin became a permanent one when he met and married my mother in law. He eventually left Morris Motors to set up his own business as an insurance assessor and became one of the most respected figures in the industry.
Retirement didn't mean that he slowed down at all and he gave a lot of his time to the British Legion in Dublin, representing his fellow army veterans. He also became an accomplished wood turner and one of my most treasured possessions is a large wooden salad bowl turned by his gifted hands. Despite being so busy he never lost sight of his main priority in life which was his family. He was a loving, generous and interested Granddad right up to his passing.
Despite being held in such high esteem in so many quarters he was still extremely humble, enjoying all variety of company and conversation. His great sense of humour was often wicked but never malicious. He was always good company and I have many things to be grateful to him for, most important of all his younger daughter.
We had a great chat just a few days before he died and he said that for a father in law and a son in law we had got on all right.
We got on a lot, lot more than all right. I am really going to miss the old bugger.
RIP Johnny.
I often wonder if we make men of that character anymore.
A sad loss indeed.
A sad loss indeed.
God rest him. Thoughts and prayers for you and yours, Count.
Why isn't there a film about this guy? RIP Johnny.
Thanks for the kind words lads.
For anyone interested here is a link to a website compiling various stories from army vets and you can listen to an audio interview with the man himself telling the story of his escape from the POW camp .http://www.ww2vetsproject.com/archives/106
For anyone interested here is a link to a website compiling various stories from army vets and you can listen to an audio interview with the man himself telling the story of his escape from the POW camp .http://www.ww2vetsproject.com/archives/106
Sorry to hear it Paul
YNWA
YNWA
I loved his story and I think this is a terrific project.
