My best friend died this morning.

Me ^ | 12/14/01 | Rebelbase

[Rebelbase]

My best friend, Rick, died of a cerebral hemorage early this morning. Talk about shock. I am numb.

Its funny how things happen. We had a party at Rick's last night, about 10-12 of us. Rick was in rare form, doing lip-sinc to the Harry Connick, Jr. Chrismas CD and throwing in Michael Jacksonesqe leg kicks and Elvis hip swings as he "directed" the band behind the singer. He was happy. The joke were flowing....Rick: "You know, Alexander Graham Bell invented the phone, Do you suppose his phone number was 1 ?"

I left at 8:30 to take my kids home, the party continued. At 10:45 my phone rings, a friend tells me Rick is at the hospital. He started complaining of headache and went into his office room by himself. A few minutes later someone went to check on him and he was sprawled on the floor. By the time the paramedics got him to the hospital he was on a respirator. He passed on around 6:30 this morning.

Rick was one person who believed in me when I did not believe in myself. Five years ago I was a broken man after going through a soap opera divorce. I stumbled into a small shopping center church one night, at the end of my rope. The message was good and the people friendly. I was befriended by the jolly keyboard player, rick, and we soon became fast friends. We played practical jokes on people in the church and got paidback bigtime. I weasled my way into a band that Rick had started and soon I was playing there and along side Rick in the Church's praise team. We have played music together for nearly 5 years now.

Rick was my best and most trusted friend who had a heart bigger than ET.

18 hours ago we were having an outstanding time together. Now he is gone. You never know what tommorow brings. I know that Rick is free now. He has been released from everything on this earth that weighed him down, nagged and tormented him.

He has been set free and is now dancing in worship with God and his Angels....That's just like him.. He got there before I did.

I love you Rick, we'll catch up with each other later.

Your Pal,
G.

[pbear8]

God blessed you with a great friend, we should all have such friendships. You will always have wonderful memories of Rick. He is waiting for you when it pleases God to call you too.

[ST.LOUIE1]

I still have my very best friend, Cole. Have known him since childhood.

Your post makes me want to go see him and give him the biggest hug ever.

God bless.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thank you very much.

[rface]

I am sorry to hear about this.. God Bless you.

[Osinski]

Oh boy. All I can think of to say is, "In God we trust."

Thinking about you.

[whoever]

I will add you to my prayer list. May God bless you and give you His peace.

[InvisibleChurch]

Fill us with Your Spirit, O God, that we may be confident of Your grace and mercy. Empower us to submit to Your will, for we know that You know what is best for us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.

[mafree]

I'm sorry Rebelbase- losing a friend is tough. I've lost a few who weren't even my closest friends and it hurts. Please give my condolences to Rick's family- will pray for all of you.

[mafree]

Condolences and prayers to you and Roger's family- may he rest in peace.

[Dubya]

PRAYING THAT GOD WILL COMFORT YOU.

[MissAmericanPie]

May I offer my deepest sympathies that the brother of your heart has passed on. At this time, I know, the reassurance that it is only a temporary parting doesn't bring much comfort, Jesus wept.

[VietVet]

Please allow me to express my sympathy and offer condolences.

"Blessed be they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

[sweetliberty]

My heart hurts for you for the loss of your friend. I experienced a similar loss just a few years ago when a long time friend passed at the age of 40. It had been much the same with us. Just the night before we'd been on the phone talking about Unsolved Mysteries and just a few days prior to that we'd been singing together. She had been doing some decorating and fell from a ladder. She thought nothing of it. 3 days later, she collapsed in the shower. She was able to call 911. She had no heartbeat when the paramedics arrived. She was revived once only to succumb again, dying alone in the hospital. I was the first one to find out because they couldn't reach anyone in her family. As it turned out, she had ruptured her spleen in the fall and didn't know it. I was devastated.

Like you said, you just never know. I know that she too is with the Lord and that is a comfort. But the grief and the emptiness of losing someone so close and so special does not heal quickly. I pray that the Lord will be close to you through this difficult time.

[wayne_shrugged]

It's more difficult for those of us left behind.

I've heard death is only an illusion, which is only fueled by our own beliefs and states of consciousness. On some level, he's still lipsynching, just as he was when you last saw him...

[classygreeneyedblonde]

He is in the arms of the angels

[Old Professer]

He was 33? So young to go so quick, you know he lives longer now that he has met so many new friends; cry now, laugh when you're tired from the crying, you can still play together in the bandstand of your mind; you received the greatest gift God has to give, the love and trust of another.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I am sorry to hear about your loss.
May God Welcome him Home and comfort his family and friends.

[andysandmikesmom]

I lost my older boy, several years ago, at age 15, to leukemia...but his immediate cause of death was also a cerebral hemorrhage, caused by his leukemia...it was a great shock and trauma..

Its always difficult to lose someone you love...their death numbs you, and sends you into shock and disbelief...

But the Lord is there, to comfort you, and He is there to hold your friend...Its easy to trust God when your life is going along happily...but when things go badly, sometimes is when we need God the most, and He is assuredly there to help us...

I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend, and I will pray that his friends and his family will find comfort in the Lord and his promise of everlasting life...take care, and God bless you..

[Alkhin]

My sincerest sympathies are with you. God has called him home to watch over you on a different level and with more love and hope than ever before.

Kindest regards, Alkhin