Sudden Death

Before I begin my babbling, I'd like to offer my condolences to the familes of Rhys Jones and Antonio Puerta. It's sad to hear/read of their passing, especially of how it happened.

Rhys Jones was an 11 year old boy from Liverpool who was shot dead, presumably, by other teens on his way home after a football kickabout. Tragic. Antonio Puerta, a 22-year old professional footballer with Sevilla FC in Spain died 3 days after suffering a heart attack during a football match. Even more tragic is the revelation that he was about to be a father in 6 weeks. Doubt any pregnant wife can handle that loss at such a critical time in her life. Closer to home, a 17 yr old student , who happened to be the son of a colleague, died after collapsing at the finish line of a local triathlon meet. More recently, an Army captain died, also after collapsing at the finishing line of a 21km run.

What saddens me most is not so much that these people were so young and had bright futures, it's the loss felt by those left behind. I'm a guy and I can't imagine nor fathom the gamut of emotions gripping a heavily pregnant wife who's weeks away from delivering her first baby when told that her husband, father to her unborn child has died, even if the death has been inevitable for a few days. I think to describe her as distraught would be an injustice to her.

I'm yet to be a parent but I'm in no doubt that my colleague would have been as equally inconsolable when she first found out about her son's tragic passing. It's just tragic how such young lives with bright futures ahead of them, no doubt the ray of hope for their parents or spouses, had their lives cut short. I can only hope that those left behind is given the strength and courage to move on with life though I just can't begin to imagine having to cope with such a tragic loss.

At the end of the day, it's by His will that we are here and, by His will, we shall leave. As cheesy and antiquated as it may sound, we are all guilty of taking those we love for granted even when there are constant reminders to cherish them while they are still with us.