Posted on 10/04/2001 11:17:09 AM PDT by Admin Moderator
A 53-year-old man died in an early morning house fire in southeast Houston today.
The man, whose name has not yet been released [I confirmed that this was, indeed, my FRiend, Herb Meadows, known to all of us on FRee Republic by his screen name, "CHIEF negotiator"] was found by Houston firefighters in a bathroom in the rear of his home in the 8000 block of Glencrest, after the house burned about 1:30 a.m.
Firefighters said the man's wife told them she was watching television in the home's living room when she heard a loud pop and her husband shouting from the back of the home.
The woman tried unsuccessfully to rescue her husband, firefighters said. She was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation symptoms.
Firefighters said it appeared the man tried to get out of the burning home, but the heavy smoke entered the bathroom, where he collapsed.
Arson investigators are at the scene of the fire this morning looking for its cause.
My heart is filled with sadness to have to report this terrible news. CHIEF was a FRiend and a soul brother to me. CHIEF will be missed, but NEVER forgotten.
Please join me in praying for CHIEF negotiator and his family. We have lost a FRiend, a true American Patriot and a long time FRee Republic activist.
Taxman
Ping me/us when you find out info for showing Mrs. CHIEF our love and devotion to her hubby, cards, making ends meet, filling forms, etc. Somehow, I think he'd expect the freeper family to stand in the gap for him.
Need more tissues. He held a vry special place in a lot of hearts. But it seems ESPECIALLY so for the Lord. He now has him Home.
My heartfelt sorrow for you, also, Taxman, and to all of us FReepers who loved to read his posts!
May God take care of his family. We know he's in heaven, perhaps sniping at the Taliban.
Semper Fi
Is this money that will go directly to his family?
My heart is heavy with grief at the loss of our friend, and at the loss to our free republic.
Peace Pipe, indeed...
For those who did not know him This thread will give you a little glimpse of the REAL Herb!
Of everything he ever posted here, and that is a LOT, that is my favorite thread!
I met Herb briefly on a trip I made to AFFT in Houston in late July. I had posted on the same FairTax threads he loved to weigh in on and came to view him as a very knowledgeable and dedicated tax reformer. I asked for his help in responding to a demagogic (hope that's a word)letter response I had received from Senator Cleland and his counsel was, not surprisingly, on-target and insightful.
Having read through all the posts on this thread through this point in time, I am truly amazed by how many lives he touched. I had no idea that his impact through FR was as great as it was and that his patience and gentleness, even when arguing strongly for his positions, had won him the respect and admiration of so many people. I can't help wondering if his wife was aware of it. I would hope someone alerts her to this page and she truly appreciates what he meant to so many of us as a mentor and inspiration.
I will keep him and his family in my prayers as I know so many other FReepers will.
I can't get the lyrics to that old Billy Joel song out of my mind: "Only The Good Die Young".
Thank you for the link to your favorite Chief thread, I had never seen that one.
I like the last few posts on that thread, so simple but meaningful on this sad day:
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To: CHIEF negotiator
"— his idea of high-flying humor."
Yep, they don't make 'em like him anymore!
And they don't make towns like Luckenbach anymore, either.
101 Posted on 08/09/2001 20:16:52 PDT by COB1
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | Top | Last ]
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To: COB1
...ain't it ashame...
102 Posted on 08/09/2001 21:20:01 PDT by CHIEF negotiator [ Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | Top | Last ]
***It really is a shame**** :(
He was the first freeper to ever really make me feel welcome, and I thought his humor was so great.
He was so special, and he looks much "sweeter" than I pictured him...thanks for that picture.
What a terrible loss for his wife and family.
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