On the 13th of October I had carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand. Back at home and feeling sorry for myself M and I got some news that would change my focus of just what was important.
M is involved in the online and off-line gaming groups on the net. News came through that his friend Owen had collapsed and had been rushed to hospital. Later news was that he had sadly passed away. He was 37. We were both shocked and sad to hear the news. M and I shared a cry at the news. The mood in the house changed, neither of us knew exactly what to do. So M being so very British said he’d go make tea.
I found myself thinking and crying for not only Owen but for his wife Patience as well. Patience is from Idaho, so really not that far away from each other when you think about how big the states are. I identified with her on a level that I didn’t know even excised. She had Owens family with her, but her family was in Idaho, I thought how painfully alone she must feel. I know if it were me in her shoes I would want nothing more than my Mom. I cried like I thought my heart would break for her. I described it to some one as aching tears. I wanted to scream and shout at the sky that it wasn’t fair, none of it was fair. Every time she would post something I’d find myself crying for her.
I just couldn’t work it out, I was amazed at my reaction to the news because Patience and I have only spoken a few times on Twitter, but I have enjoyed reading her tweets. But for me there was that connection, we were displaced, misplaced Americans. We’d met our husbands over the net. And we were from the same corner of the world. It was a friendship that was slowly growing.
Then something amazing happened. A group of strangers came together, people who knew Owen from the gaming community, people who knew Patience through sewing and knitting groups and the rest of us who didn’t really fit into either corner. Someone set up a page where we could all donate money to help Patience get her Mom and her Brother here as well as help her with any financial stuff that would come up. So was born the Patience Love Fund. A collective of strangers came together to make it happen.
Today is Owens funeral. My heart goes out to his family and to Patience.
How very sad, but how very lovely at the same time. I’ve been part of something similar in the past.
Half sad and half happy. Sad for Owen and his wife and all the people that knew him. Happy for you that it changed your mind set at the time and for all the people that were blessed to know him. Very good post.