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Today I was shocked to learn, via Facebook, of the sudden death of a friend, a pastor with whom I worked through a faith-based organization dedicated to healing the wounds of violence in our community.
Just two weeks ago we were at a committee meeting working out strategies for our next event. I had been away from the committee for a while -- too many of my own health issues getting in the way. I am so glad now that I came back when I did.
The reverend had back surgery a couple of days ago, and he was still recuperating in the hospital. He had just come back to his room from physical therapy when he started to feel ill and short of breath. In hardly more than a heartbeat he was dead from a pulmonary embolism. He was in his early 50s.
A soft-spoken, deliberate and thoughtful man, he led a congregation of several thousand in one of our largest black churches. He was never one to seek attention for himself, and served our community in a deeply meaningful but unobtrusive way. I am absolutely overcome with grief at the loss. And reminded of how fragile life is, how quickly it can leave us.
Just two weeks ago we were at a committee meeting working out strategies for our next event. I had been away from the committee for a while -- too many of my own health issues getting in the way. I am so glad now that I came back when I did.
The reverend had back surgery a couple of days ago, and he was still recuperating in the hospital. He had just come back to his room from physical therapy when he started to feel ill and short of breath. In hardly more than a heartbeat he was dead from a pulmonary embolism. He was in his early 50s.
A soft-spoken, deliberate and thoughtful man, he led a congregation of several thousand in one of our largest black churches. He was never one to seek attention for himself, and served our community in a deeply meaningful but unobtrusive way. I am absolutely overcome with grief at the loss. And reminded of how fragile life is, how quickly it can leave us.
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