In Memory of Jerry
Sadly, today I mourn the loss of a young man, just a kid really, who could not stay sober. I didn't know Jerry, but he was the friend of a friend, shall we say.
Jeff has written more about Jerry on his Myspace page. That's how I learned of Jerry's death. Here is a photo of Jerry.
Jerry left behind a girlfriend, friends, parents, and grandparents. Jerry had a future, a whole, long, beautiful life just waiting to unfold in front of him. His addiction killed him. Just took him right off the planet. The end. No more chances. Just... gone.
A few days ago I was saying to a friend and fellow sober alcoholic how we have to remind ourselves that our disease is chronic, incurable... AND FATAL. We must never forget the immensely serious nature of what we are dealing with here. Drug and alcohol addiction will kill you, people. Not today, maybe, maybe not tomorrow... but it is a fatal disease, and you don't know when it will come calling to take its final payment. And Jerry's death just underscores that. People loved this young man, to some he was as dear as life itself.
The tragic waste of life that the disease of addiction leaves in its wake is stunning. Not just overdoses, as was the case with Jerry, but the long slow death of alcoholism and other addictions. And also, many deaths marked down as due to car crashes and suicides are really due to alcoholism or addiction. Meanwhile the disease laughs and strikes another notch in its belt.
Rest in peace, Jerry. Maybe someone will learn from Jerry's death--maybe it will be a wakeup call to someone out there. This disease kills, in all its forms. Blessings to all who knew and loved this irreplaceable young man.
Jeff has written more about Jerry on his Myspace page. That's how I learned of Jerry's death. Here is a photo of Jerry.
Jerry left behind a girlfriend, friends, parents, and grandparents. Jerry had a future, a whole, long, beautiful life just waiting to unfold in front of him. His addiction killed him. Just took him right off the planet. The end. No more chances. Just... gone.
A few days ago I was saying to a friend and fellow sober alcoholic how we have to remind ourselves that our disease is chronic, incurable... AND FATAL. We must never forget the immensely serious nature of what we are dealing with here. Drug and alcohol addiction will kill you, people. Not today, maybe, maybe not tomorrow... but it is a fatal disease, and you don't know when it will come calling to take its final payment. And Jerry's death just underscores that. People loved this young man, to some he was as dear as life itself.
The tragic waste of life that the disease of addiction leaves in its wake is stunning. Not just overdoses, as was the case with Jerry, but the long slow death of alcoholism and other addictions. And also, many deaths marked down as due to car crashes and suicides are really due to alcoholism or addiction. Meanwhile the disease laughs and strikes another notch in its belt.
Rest in peace, Jerry. Maybe someone will learn from Jerry's death--maybe it will be a wakeup call to someone out there. This disease kills, in all its forms. Blessings to all who knew and loved this irreplaceable young man.
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