Loosing a friend

Redmt

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2021
Messages
3,114
Location
San Antonio Valley California
I don't know how to write this and am not even sure why I'm writing it.
I've posted up a few pictures and stories of hunting and goofing off with my very close friend Garry. The Saturday before last he and I were way out in the back country replacing a front idler on a D5. Between the 2 of us we're 158 years old with him being 15 years my senior. We were joking and talking about his yearly elk hunt that he would be leaving on tomorrow morning.
To cut it all short, we were working on a dozer on Saturday, Wednesday he was admitted to the hospital . Friday he was sent home with an acute leukemia diagnosis. Last Saturday Hospice came in. It doesn't look like he'll see this Saturday. Pray that he has an easy passing if you're so inclined.
 
Thank you. He is accepting it much better than his family or myself. At first I was mad as hell at him. Then I felt sorry for myself at loosing a great friend. Now I'm mad and sort of ashamed of myself. This has been a terrible week or so and I'm having a really tough time.
 
Praying for you guys. And please be gentle on yourself. Grieving is deeply personal and people do it differently.
 
I visited with him yesterday. We had a deep and meaningful discussion about choices, quality and availability of Leopold scopes. We then moved on to the possibility of angling the bed so we could shoot squirrels out the window. His wife overruled us. He and I are keeping it light ignoring the reality of the moment.
 
The sudden nature of it all must really have you reeling. I can’t imagine. It’s ok to not feel ok. Be gentle with yourself…this shit is tough.

I’m sure you being there right now means the world to him and his family. I hope this time spent when it really counts brings you some measure of peace eventually.
 
So sorry to hear this man. I find myself thinking about this quote often, and how life is so temporary for all of us. I'll be praying for you and your friend. I try to remember to grieve instead of growing bitter

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”​

― C.S. Lewis
 
Sorry for your loss. Prayers sent. I too lost a longtime mentor, hunting & fishing partner earlier this year. He decided 7 years of kidney dialysis was enough and stopped going. Lots of laughs and tears during the final visits.
 
Sorry to read this. Glad you got to visit him and joke about things you loved together before he passed. He will continue to be with you on your future hunts.
 
Sorry to hear this. I recently lost my work partner, friend, mentor and best hunting buddy of 30 years. Not easy by any means but we were fortunate to have them while they were here. they'd want us to keep on keepin on. He'll always be with me
 
Back
Top