Comes in 3's...

With all this Death talk I might as well mention a call from the Wanker yesterday. Earlier in the month he told me about a guy that used to play on our soccer team, Jon Howell. I only knew Jon thru soccer. When I moved to Charleston in 1998 he was on Wanker's team and I played 3 seasons, 18 months, on this team. 50% of the guys were our High School buddies so they knew all too well about how I played - my passion for playing, committment to winning and pure love for after game beers. Anyway, in our 2nd game I got taken out bigtime, some chucklehead took me out from behind and I got up raising hell and ready for a fight. This guy John gets in between me and this asshole and was ready to go in my stead. What??? John? Mr. Mild Manner... That's just how this guy was. Quiet, reserved, but loyal...
Billy called me about 2 weeks ago, said that John was playing in a Coed game in Mt. Pleasant and got tackled and sprained his ankle, he came out of the game, stood there for a minute and grabbed a teammate and said "I feel sick" got some water and said "I gonna puke, I gotta get out of here." and his teammate was walking with him to the parking lot and John drops to the ground and quits breathing. No oxygen to the brain for the 10-15 minutes it takes the ambulance to get there. They keep him on life support for about 14 days. Non-cancerous growth on the brain stem... Irreversible brain damage. Pull the plug.........
Nicest fucking guy in the world. Never intentionally hurt a fly without good damn reason. Excellent teammate and MAN.
There is NO rhyme or reason in life or in death.
Fucking sad...
One amazing thing I found was www.caringbridge.com. This is a website that families can add information to, pictures, guestbook, comments, blog, etc. for their loved ones. WOW... Really professional and really nice. Check Jon's out http://caringbridge.org/visit/jonhowell . In today's environment - this is how to do it. Shit, when I kick the bucket, do this for me and have my wake on YouTube....
Jon, the world is a worse place without you in it. I haven't seen the guy in 10 years but remember the impression he made on me. That was his mark. I wonder if he would have remembered me - most people do remember me but I am usually concerned (after the fact) of "what" they actually remember about me... Whether I am liked or loathed, I am normally remembered.
Jon left the same impression on everyone.... Heaven is an even better place now, everyone there will embrace Jon's spirit.

PS - I hope this is the LAST post I do on death for quite some time.

PPSS - Listening to Rush today an Auburn student said her Sr. Project was to describe, in great detail, her Funeral. Rush was totally taken aback at this assignment. His recommendation was not to detail the Funeral as if it were to happen tomorrow, write about the life you want and use it as a blueprint for how you want your life to go, then 60 years from now, detail whom will attend your funeral and how they are connected to your life. Interesting point. Dr. Wanda sent me a song by the (something) Allstars called "Keg on My Coffin" with the chorus of "Put a keg on my coffin, and think of me ever so often...." Great point... But that would be what I want tomorrow - what do I want 25 years from now...?