Dying Young

A friend died recently at 39, he dropped dead mowing the lawn. I’ve known him since he was a kid. His parents are my peers. He’s dead. That strikes me as preposterous. How can you drop dead at 39? At my age, they drop like flies but at 39, preposterous. Death is inevitable but expectations dictate that it is age appropriate. This kid was only a bit older than my kids. I can’t contemplate the emotional impact. I’ve got friends who have lost kids overseas in action. They are devastated but since their kids were in harm’s way intentionally, I think they were somewhat prepared for the possibility that harm would come. Dropping dead while mowing the lawn is not one of those things you expect. My heart and my condolences go out to the family and the wife. To you young immortals please recognize that you are never too young to get a physical and discover whether you are truly healthy. There is no guarantee that medical awareness will prolong your life, but your chances are better if you know what you face.