this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2010
213 points (74% like it)
324 up votes 111 down votes

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all 150 comments

casspa 156 points157 points 6 months ago[-]

My older brother paged me (1998) on a Friday afternoon, to told me "always be a good man." Then disappeared for two weeks when his body turned up, dead in an orange grove. Suicide by carbon monoxide. At that point I had never met his girlfriend, Lindsey. Throughout the funeral events and the days after we bonded over him, I was only 12 and my life was destroyed from his loss. A friend of his was a charter fishing captain and knew how my brother and I bonded over fishing. So he took me, lindsey and a few of their friends out to have fun and get everyone's mind off the loss. Later that night when she was driving me home, we were discussing him, and I told her 'when I die and see him again I'm going to kick his ass for doing this to us.' She told me, 'I'll see him first and I'll do it for you.' I interpreted this as she's older than me and would pass away first. She left my house and went to the exact spot where he killed himself, and she took her own life in the same way. I was 12 (now 25), and I was the last person to ever speak to these two while they were alive. You cannot see these things coming, trust me. Do not dwell on it, and even if you do time will help dull the pain.

Quilcine 27 points28 points 6 months ago[-]

Do not dwell on it, and even if you do time will help dull the pain.

I wish that was always true. Sometimes 12 or 15 years ago can feel like yesterday.

Have an upvote. That's something no 12 year old should ever have to deal with.

casspa 20 points21 points 6 months ago[-]

It's true, even reading what I just wrote brings up tears.

kingtrewq 17 points18 points 6 months ago[-]

Holy shit, you are one mature guy, I would have been devastated forever.

Vitalstatistix 6 points7 points 6 months ago[-]

God damn that is rough.

[deleted] 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

Those last few sentences were very true and very eloquently put. They remind me of one of my favorite quotes:

“Time takes it all whether you want it to or not, time takes it all. Time bares it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again.”

theCurious 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Author??

[deleted] 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

Stephen King

mkosmo 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

I'm not trying to be an insensitive clod, but I'm curious: How do you die from CO poisoning in an orange grove?

(Please don't hate me for asking)

crappingtaco 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

You drive your car into the orange grove and rig up a hose from the exhaust into the window.

mkosmo 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Oh. I was moreso thinking there was something different about an orange grove over any other open space. My mistake.

Now I feel like an overly analytical idiot again.

nxt2bking 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Don't feel too bad - I wondered the same thing. Every depiction I've ever seen is in a garage or a very confined space.

crappingtaco 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

I imagine the orange grove was secluded / private so he wouldn't have been interrupted and while the garage thing is easier (probably doesn't necessarily require the hose) he may have not been able to pull it off in a garage if he wasn't single / didn't lived alone.

casspa 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

You attach a hose to a tailpipe of a 4-runner and run the other end in through your window.

mkosmo 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Welcome to the party! Like I said to the other guy saying the same thing in reply to me, I just for some reason figured that there was something special about an orange grove that did it over any other given point on the earth.

bellavagabond 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

At the very least you can be comforted in knowing that sharing your story will help other people cope with similar experiences. When you do pass away, make sure kick both their asses.

[deleted] 6 months ago[-]

[deleted]

railmaniac 11 points12 points 6 months ago[-]

Not to be insensitive

... you need to work more on that part.

masgrada 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

B-rate movie what?

[deleted] 6 months ago[-]

[deleted]

LazloHollifeld 22 points23 points 6 months ago[-]

I would wander the earth as a lost soul if I died without knowing what might be my bag of crap.

THE_PUN_STOPS_HERE 14 points15 points 6 months ago[-]

I was actually lucky enough to get three of the little screaming monkey things with woot capes (they had them instead of BoCs). Two of them were buried with him, and the third sits with my printed e-mail in a drawer.

Isn't it funny the silly ways grief can manifest itself?

heytherejesus 6 points7 points 6 months ago[-]

I got 5 High School Musical clocks in my BoC.

THE_PUN_STOPS_HERE 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

I try to convince myself that if I were to get the holy bandolier o' carrots, it would have something like a TV, but the harsh reality is that it'd probably be a thousand plastic giraffes or something.

phuzion 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

Bag of crap, alright.

[deleted] 46 points47 points 6 months ago[-]

I hope this is not the most tasteless viral marketing ever.

THE_PUN_STOPS_HERE 35 points36 points 6 months ago[-]

I wish it was.

[deleted] 12 points13 points 6 months ago[-]

Holy shit that's sad, I am sorry.

THE_PUN_STOPS_HERE 8 points9 points 6 months ago[-]

That's okay, I can cope with it the majority of the time, but occasionally it gets to me.

fssgf 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

It makes me sad to even have to hope this kind of thing.

[deleted] 15 points16 points 6 months ago[-]

woot-off?

TheMulletBurden 10 points11 points 6 months ago[-]

[deleted] 9 points10 points 6 months ago[-]

day=made

slyguy183 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

because you found out about a good deal on a tripod? Dude that was pretty sad

[deleted] 12 points13 points 6 months ago[-]

(._.)

omnomnomo 9 points10 points 6 months ago[-]

( ._.)

(._. )

[deleted] 7 points8 points 6 months ago[-]

( '-')

('-' )

jujuchancha 4 points5 points 6 months ago[-]

Lose something?

MyStady 10 points11 points 6 months ago[-]

Sad indeed. It's not like he just saved a whole bunch of money on car insurance.

lynn 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

Dude, that is a sweet flashlight setup. My father-in-law swears by them.

alaskamiller 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

woot.com sales

kryptobs2000 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

So you were in time for the woot off and all you have to show for it is an email?

THE_PUN_STOPS_HERE 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

And I got some bacon salts! And three screaming woot monkeys. No bandoliers of carrots that time.

He was buried with two of the monkeys, and the bacon salts were given to his parents, along with a letter explaining them.

GodHatesChristians 63 points64 points 6 months ago[-]

You couldn't have known. If my best friend texted me before dying, I wouldn't feel too bad because he could have called if it was really that urgent.

noonches 63 points64 points 6 months ago[-]

What if he was choking?

GodHatesChristians 63 points64 points 6 months ago[-]

Damn you! Then I would feel terrible.

ggk1 40 points41 points 6 months ago[-]

"help, i'm cocking on a nut!"

Bills last thoughts were that of hatred for corrective texting

mobileF 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

what phone do you have that would put cock instead of choke?

i spend all day just trying to curse a little.

khamul 6 points7 points 6 months ago[-]

Maybe he would dictate it.

ServeExtraCold 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

OOOOOHHH
No, Ahhhhh. In the throat.

samplebitch 27 points28 points 6 months ago[-]

A coworker in another country that I worked with on a daily basis, mostly through IM/email, sent me a message at 6:00pm on a Friday. I ignored it. Monday morning I was told he was killed in a car accident.

noonches 40 points41 points 6 months ago[-]

That's messed up.

Who sends coworkers a message at 6pm on Friday?

RufusMcCoot 32 points33 points 6 months ago[-]

Friends.

le_misanthrope 22 points23 points 6 months ago[-]

What are those?

stablewill 13 points14 points 6 months ago[-]

You'd best find out quick, it seems to be that they are a dwindling race.

raptosaurus 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

A long-running and popular sitcom from the late 1990's/early 2000's

AtheniaStarr 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

Well, although the OP said that they spoke through IM/email...It could have been a text message that night, if they were close enough.

But, on the other hand...He does say that he was in another country, so it would have been expensive to send a text to him, and he would have probably just IM'd him, now with new, advanced cell phones and such.

Wow. I think I just had my first stoned, serious thought.

OMG. And upon reading what you just typed again, you were acting like you were probably saying "That's messed up.." to the fact that his friend died, but then upon reading the rest of what you typed, you're saying it would ultimately be better to die than to get a message from a coworker!

breathes That was nice. :-)

tayto 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

If you work in a national or global company, an IM at 6pm is not at all uncommon. Heck, part of the reason I am online right now because I am hoping someone in our Cyprus office is getting in before I go to sleep.

Zeek1 27 points28 points 6 months ago[-]

What did the IM say?

xmod2 10 points11 points 6 months ago[-]

"Can you turn off the stove for me?"

Vitalstatistix 7 points8 points 6 months ago[-]

Plain and simple, you're a fucking asshole.

keepingitcivil 55 points56 points 6 months ago[-]

What'd she die of?

UpDown 70 points71 points 6 months ago[-]

Heart ache.

tsondie21 84 points85 points 6 months ago[-]

Nice try, George Lucas

keepingitcivil 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Dammit, I nearly added "A broken heart?" to the end of my post, but I chickened out.

zero01101 36 points37 points 6 months ago[-]

:(

my sincerest condolences

thedjin 32 points33 points 6 months ago[-]

I'm very very sorry for your loss. If it makes it any better, she died in her sleep, so I suppose she didn't suffer.

Here.

EmpiresCrumble 11 points12 points 6 months ago[-]

Oh, that's horrible, I'm so sorry. I just wanna make sure you don't get down on yourself, because seriously, how were you supposed to know? That's gotta be difficult though. My condolences, I know how it feels to lose a friend way too early. :(

youdeserveahug 9 points10 points 6 months ago[-]

*hug*

Kalibek 9 points10 points 6 months ago[-]

I was taking private classes with a teacher for about 3 years. In August of 2007 I just wanted to stop speaking to everyone for a while. I wasn't answering emails and voice-mails and I figured I'd just catch up with everyone in September.

Well what I didn't know was that she had cancer and it was starting to give her complications. I always knew she had health problems, but she put on a brave face and never let anyone know how much pain she was in. Her health started to deteriorate during that month I wasn't talking to anyone and she died near the end of the month.

She had left me multiple messages saying that I should just come in and see her, but never mentioned her health. I didn't know until one of her other friends called me and told me the news; I've never felt so sad and guilty.

Her family wasn't on the best terms with her and they never contacted any of her students or friends for a funeral/wake. They had vacation plans and didn't want to break them, so they had her remains cremated. I run into people now who knew her and wonder why she stopped calling them or lost contact and I have to break the news to them.

sidoma_kismet 5 points6 points 6 months ago[-]

I'm extra sad. I can't believe how many people have commented with similar stories. This makes me never want to ignore anyone ever again. :(

fingers 4 points5 points 6 months ago[-]

Hope your last interaction was good. Remember that.

illskillz 4 points5 points 6 months ago[-]

Well it's clearly not your fault. I don't think she died because she was upset. Do you mind me asking how she died? I didn't think young/mid age people just died in their sleep (I'm assuming you and her are either young/mid age). Was she really sick?

khamul 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

My condolences for your loss.

Cebus 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

Do you live in Michigan? Long shot, I guess, but I also know a young woman who just died in her sleep.

mark445 2 points3 points 6 months ago[-]

I have a similar story, but after reading some of these douchebag comments in here, I'll just keep it to myself. When did reddit become like this?

DrRodneyMckay 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

I am sorry for your loss. Chin up buddy.

RIP to your friend.

[deleted] 1 point2 points 6 months ago* [-]

I received an e-mail from my roommate a month ago. He's actually a redditor: http://www.reddit.com/user/lasergangsta

The e-mail said "I apologize if my erratic behavior last night upset you." That was it. And I didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

He had sent that e-mail to me at 4pm, right after I'd left the house to spend the weekend with my girlfriend. I had to go back to get my phone, so I actually saw him after he sent the e-mail.

Right after i left again, he killed himself using a knife, bled to death in our bathtub. The police report said he was found at 5pm, which means there was half an hour between when I last saw him and he died.

SunKing 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

so his last words here were: "Just appended this gem to my email signature. Thanks."

;_;

[deleted] 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Yes, and that was just a day or two before this happened. It was a total shock. I'd known he was a bit depressed but had no clue it was this bad.

[deleted] 1 point2 points 6 months ago[-]

Very sad. I'm very sorry.

shredGNAR -1 points0 points 6 months ago[-]

I really hate people that downvote this shit.

honoredtwig 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

One of my old coworkers and best friends had tried to call me on a Friday afternoon...I got the message when I got back to the office, but it was too late to call then (we were in different time zones at this point).

On Monday I tried many times to call him back at his work and got some weird/vague 'he is unavailable' type answers which finally turned to 'we're not allowed to discuss it'.

Eventually between myself and a couple of his other old friends, I was able to uncover that he had been murdered on Friday while driving home from work...by his wife.

I still wonder about the conversation that we missed having and if it could have changed anything except for the way I feel...I'll never know.

juliacakes 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Ugh, I know how horrible that is. Before my school friend (back in high school) left for a school trip the Ghana, she and I talked about swimming. I was a swimmer back in HS. She said "she couldn't swim to save her life." Three days later, after the first night on the trip she was found dead at the bottom of the hotel she was staying at in Ghana. Her family thinks she was murdered, but honestly, I still think she may have tripped in the pool. It still gives me nightmares.

But I have to remember, all my friends who have passed would have been working hard to succeed in life. I stop to think about them quit a bit, but I try to get on with my life. But, taking time to mourn is one of the most important things to do...

CelticMichaela 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

I am so sorry...

tomatohs -5 points-4 points 6 months ago[-]

She woke up dead?

6h057 -4 points-3 points 6 months ago[-]

How can you wake up dead? She was alive when she went to sleep!

tonberry -3 points-2 points 6 months ago[-]

And when she woke up, she wasn't. Simple?

6h057 -3 points-2 points 6 months ago[-]

Close, but I'm pretty sure a different line was spoken in the film.

stilesjp -2 points-1 points 6 months ago[-]

You're telling me you can go to bed dead and wake up alive?

6h057 -1 points0 points 6 months ago[-]

Man that shit redundant!

stilesjp -1 points0 points 6 months ago[-]

No, it wouldn't. 'Cause you can go to bed and not be dead, and you can die but not be in a bed.

[deleted] 6 months ago[-]

[deleted]

serend 11 points12 points 6 months ago[-]

Do us a favor, die.

[deleted] 6 points7 points 6 months ago[-]

This post was deleted, care to copy/paste or something? I'd really like to know what got you up to say that sort of thing; perhaps I wish to say it myself!

serend 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

The parent to this comment said

Maybe if you replied your friend wouldn't have died

[deleted] 0 points1 point 6 months ago[-]

Okay, that kind of comment is just fucked. Thanks for posting this back.

[deleted] 6 months ago[-]

[deleted]

photo777 16 points17 points 6 months ago[-]

Watch out, internet asshole is also internet tough guy.

Zeek1 12 points13 points 6 months ago[-]

Stop feeding him.

photo777 9 points10 points 6 months ago[-]

Usually I don't open the comments that have scored low, but sometimes that shit is really annoying. While you are totally correct, I couldn't help myself.