R.I.P. Gary Schrader Jr.
I got a phone call late last night from my father. I knew that something had happened because my father would never call so late unless it was an emergency. My father informed me that my cousin, Gary, had killed himself. The story told is that Gary was having a fight with his girlfriend at the time, and it seemed like they were going to breakup, because the girlfriend was going to move out. As a result, Gary took his own life; shooting himself.
My father told me in lieu of a request to represent him at Gary's funeral.
I hardly knew my cousin Gary. He was older than me, and is the first-born of my Uncle Gary's first wife; My aunt Sandy, who passed away from cancer back in 1988, (I think?). I remember Gary having a cool head, and calm demeanor all the time. He stood up to my brother's wedding in 1994 with me. Gary Jr also had some tragedy of his own...just before his mother, my Aunt Sandy, passed away, he was in a horrific motorcycle accident, in which a Taxi Cab driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran him over. Gary Jr survived the ordeal, but went through extensive reconstructive surgery of his left leg and knee, which ultimately resulted in his left leg being shorter than his right. But even through such tragedy, Gary Jr. always had his calm, cool demeanor.
I can not imagine him taking his own life, ever.
But Love, has been described as being a force so powerful, that all reason becomes blind to it...and while I know this incident isn't about me, I wonder if my own pursuit of love in today's day and age is a lost cause.
My father told me in lieu of a request to represent him at Gary's funeral.
I hardly knew my cousin Gary. He was older than me, and is the first-born of my Uncle Gary's first wife; My aunt Sandy, who passed away from cancer back in 1988, (I think?). I remember Gary having a cool head, and calm demeanor all the time. He stood up to my brother's wedding in 1994 with me. Gary Jr also had some tragedy of his own...just before his mother, my Aunt Sandy, passed away, he was in a horrific motorcycle accident, in which a Taxi Cab driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran him over. Gary Jr survived the ordeal, but went through extensive reconstructive surgery of his left leg and knee, which ultimately resulted in his left leg being shorter than his right. But even through such tragedy, Gary Jr. always had his calm, cool demeanor.
I can not imagine him taking his own life, ever.
But Love, has been described as being a force so powerful, that all reason becomes blind to it...and while I know this incident isn't about me, I wonder if my own pursuit of love in today's day and age is a lost cause.