Geoff 1989-2008

Read it and weep, or as I did, feel your heart sink like there's no tomorrow. How could this happen?

I returned home yesterday, running in from the rain. The ironing board was out with Gary in a collared shirt. How odd. "Gary where are you going?" I asked. "I went to Geoff Birkitt's house."
"why?"
"because he passed away."
Shock is all I could think about. "We went to talk to his parents."

Geoff died accidentally and very tragically. What anguish his parents must be living. Geoff and his sister were adopted by their wonderful parents. They are Asian by birth. I would always see Geoff's dad at the Sunday PAL football games cheering him on. His mom was always active in the community. David told me the Birkitt's sold their house and moved in to a smaller one to save money for their daughter's college education. What parent wouldn't make these sacrifices? How could this be, the happy boy who occasionally came to our house when Gary was in elementary school?

My kids first raw deal with death. I'm still in a state of shock. Mrs. Birkitt told Gary she thought he was Geoff as he walked out of his car. He didn't know what to say. I'm so proud of him for visiting Geoff's parents, he said several kids did so yesterday. I love my kids so much but how can you possibly shelter them from something like this? You can't. I told them both to never do drugs for the simple reason that their mom would cry if they died.

I hope Geoff is at peace now. I also didn't have the heart to tell Gary his shirt was still rumpled.

RIP
4.29.08