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30 October 2007

Sad news [More:]
I got back to the office today to learn that a dear friend and colleague died while I was away. I'd known Roger for 15 years. He was a barrister and I used to brief him when I was a solicitor in private practice. He came to work here about the same time as I did, and it was a delight to work with him.

A lovely, lovely man, Roger had had a serious heart condition for many years and was on the list for a transplant. But, due to his ethnic background (one of the French Caribbean islands), he knew that the chances of finding a compatible donor were very limited.

Roger told me a few years ago that he could live his life as if wrapped in cotton wool or that he could choose to life a full life, with the extra strain on his heart. He chose the latter - he loved skiing and every winter he'd head off to the Alps or the Dolomites with his family. He never let his illness stop him from doing something he wanted to do.

He collapsed and died at home. He knew his heart could fail at any time and that it was too damaged to allow him to be resuscitated.

He left a wife and 7-year-old daughter.

I'll really miss him. He was a ray of sunshine around this place.

And this puts into perspective all the suckiness of the dozens of emails, faxes and letters that landed on my desk in my absence. None of that matters today.
.

That is a total drag. Sorry to hear it.
posted by chuckdarwin 30 October | 04:31
Very sad indeed.
posted by gomichild 30 October | 05:04
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posted by MonkeyButter 30 October | 05:30
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A lovely eulogy. I'm sorry for your loss.
posted by By the Grace of God 30 October | 05:45
Wow, that blows. I feel for his wife and daughter, and I'm sure they appreciated the verve with which he led his life.
posted by richat 30 October | 05:47
That's a shame. Still, I applaud his decision to live life to the full regardless of the consequences because, after, all, the consequences are the same no matter how you live - we all die.
posted by dg 30 October | 05:51
What dg said. Sorry to hear the sad news, jan.
posted by BoringPostcards 30 October | 07:28
What dg and BeeP said. Condolences.
posted by chewatadistance 30 October | 07:30
.
posted by seanyboy 30 October | 07:34
essexjan, how sad. I'm sorry for your loss.
posted by LoriFLA 30 October | 07:49
I'm sorry you got home to such sad news, jan.
posted by gaspode 30 October | 07:52
Ach, I'm sorry to hear of this. Take care, essexjan.
posted by Hugh Janus 30 October | 08:22
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posted by bunnyfire 30 October | 08:42
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posted by plinth 30 October | 08:48
Very sad news.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 30 October | 09:33
wow, hope I'd be as brave. sorry for your loss ej.
posted by Wilder 30 October | 09:59
I'm sorry for your loss, essexjan.
posted by hadjiboy 30 October | 10:16
oh, I'm so sorry, essexjan!
posted by small_ruminant 30 October | 10:27
Sorry to hear that jan. {{{hugs}}}
posted by tr33hggr 30 October | 10:49
My prayers are with you, Jan!
posted by Joe Famous 30 October | 10:50
It's wonderful that he was able to live and die on his own terms. My sympathies to you and his family.
posted by arse_hat 30 October | 11:01
I'm sorry.
posted by brujita 30 October | 11:15
I'm sorry for your loss, jan.
posted by deborah 30 October | 11:52
That really is very sad, but it's wonderful that he lived his life the way he wanted to.
posted by Specklet 30 October | 12:43
So sorry, ej. He sounds like he was a wonderful person.
posted by Pips 30 October | 16:57
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posted by Schyler523 30 October | 18:34
Happy Birthday the great big mulp ! || I hab a code ana coff ana sduffed-up dose

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