25 is too young to die...
So shortly after I posted in LJ yesterday (Sat.), I get a frantic call from my Aunt Jenny in Windsor, Ontario. She's trying to reach my mom and Aunt Sue here, and she says she has bad news. My cousin Mike B. from Caledonia, ONT. (suburb of Toronto) is dead! I was shocked, and asked how it happened. She had to call lots of people but she briefly told me that Aunt Krysia and Uncle Norm found Mike passed out in the basement of their house in the morning, and he was dead. They are doing an autopsy to find out exactly why.
Mom called over there and talked more to another uncle. He said that Mike had a history of depression and dabbled in drugs a little. The family sent him away to get "dried up" and he came back OK. But drugs musta got the better of him this time. They said he just started a new job and sounded happy and all, so they don't know why he would have killed himself.
All of this I hadn't known. I last saw Mike 2 years ago at my cousin Julia's christening party in Windsor and he was doing well and still cute. =) I've only seen him maybe 10 times over my 26 years, because we do live kinda far away. But every time was fun. Mike is only about 24 or 25, inbetween my sister and I in age. He has a younger sister, Megan, who is about 21. I can imagine how they're all feeling.
So I have Monday and Tuesday off from work because of vacation, then Wed. and Thurs. we are driving to/from Toronto for the funeral. The relatives in Toronto are really nice people (all from mom's side of the family and many off-the-boat authentic Polish). We always say we're going to get together just to do it, and it's hard to coordinate. I wish it were under better circumstances. This is gonna suck seeing them all upset.
My sister took things hardest when I called her. I think she has a hard time with death, especially since she was holding my grandma's hand when she died. She bawled her eyes out all evening and chain smoked. She wasn't any closer to Mike than we were, so I dunno. I told her be sad he's gone, but at least he wasn't in a car accident and now a vegetable in the hospital. He is not in prolonged pain, and that's what counts. I guess I'm saving the bawling for the funeral.
Gonna go clean out my computer room today and try to keep my mind off things... =(
UPDATE, 11:32PM:
I heard from my mom that they think Mike might have died from his asthma medication! How bizarre is that? I guess he's always had bas asthma and other ailments.
Mom called over there and talked more to another uncle. He said that Mike had a history of depression and dabbled in drugs a little. The family sent him away to get "dried up" and he came back OK. But drugs musta got the better of him this time. They said he just started a new job and sounded happy and all, so they don't know why he would have killed himself.
All of this I hadn't known. I last saw Mike 2 years ago at my cousin Julia's christening party in Windsor and he was doing well and still cute. =) I've only seen him maybe 10 times over my 26 years, because we do live kinda far away. But every time was fun. Mike is only about 24 or 25, inbetween my sister and I in age. He has a younger sister, Megan, who is about 21. I can imagine how they're all feeling.
So I have Monday and Tuesday off from work because of vacation, then Wed. and Thurs. we are driving to/from Toronto for the funeral. The relatives in Toronto are really nice people (all from mom's side of the family and many off-the-boat authentic Polish). We always say we're going to get together just to do it, and it's hard to coordinate. I wish it were under better circumstances. This is gonna suck seeing them all upset.
My sister took things hardest when I called her. I think she has a hard time with death, especially since she was holding my grandma's hand when she died. She bawled her eyes out all evening and chain smoked. She wasn't any closer to Mike than we were, so I dunno. I told her be sad he's gone, but at least he wasn't in a car accident and now a vegetable in the hospital. He is not in prolonged pain, and that's what counts. I guess I'm saving the bawling for the funeral.
Gonna go clean out my computer room today and try to keep my mind off things... =(
UPDATE, 11:32PM:
I heard from my mom that they think Mike might have died from his asthma medication! How bizarre is that? I guess he's always had bas asthma and other ailments.