Such a Strange Feeling

Last year, Casey's mother died.  She was my friend, Darlene.  Casey lived with her at the time, and he found her.  Subsequently, he moved to Iowa, where he lived with his sister, Amanda, and her family.

Yesterday, Casey died in his sleep.

This is just too hard for me.  Casey was barely thirty, with small children and a new girlfriend.  It was hard enough, dealing with Darlene's death, but losing Casey is almost like losing one of my own children.

I am so glad that I had a night last month when I sat up with Casey and Amanda, looking at pictures of them as small children, talking about their mother and reminiscing about hot summer days and cold winter evenings spent in each others' company.  Darlene and I babysat each other's children often, and considered each other family.

Life pulled us apart, and death brought us back together.

This is really hard. 

Amanda has set up a FundRazr page to help with Casey's final expenses, because who saves for something like that, at thirty?

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/dLEE1