The finality of death is a pill most struggle to swallow.  Whether it be a slow deterioration and the family has time to make peace, or be it sudden and tragic, the minutes, hours and days after that last breath are cutting and unbearable for those left to grieve.  Regret is suffocating.  Desperation to undue time and redirect the inevitable end is consuming.  Sometimes red flags are only recognizable once the clock stops.

For some, maybe the agony, hopelessness, and anxiety is crushing.  For some, maybe the only way to halt the internal torture is to turn the lights out and bask in the stillness of nothing.  Finally, a bit of peace and quiet.  No more turmoil.  No more nightmares or fear or panic.  Just infinite inaction.

The world lost a beautiful and dedicated man this morning.  A man with the gift of laughter and humility and devotion.  A man who loved his adoring wife and his admiring children with every last thread of his soul.  A man who used his bare hands to fight for the rights of this great country.  A man who could no longer keep the demons of his experiences at bay.  

My heart is broken for my dear friend and her boys as they struggle to find their footing in the wake of this great tragedy.  My words are only words and I don't expect that they'll afford you much comfort, but my entire heart is with you.