Canadutch
Today I was chatting with my mother on MSN when she told me that a childhood friend of mine has passed away. His name was Shaun Peter McNamara and here is his obituary. He died of Cancer… what else.
Shaun Peter (never Shaun… it was always Shaun Peter) lived across the street from ‘Big Barb’, the woman who babysat me from when I was 6 months old until I was old enough to go home by myself after school, around 12 years old.
It’s funny because I know he came from a somewhat large family, but the only members I can remember are him and his mother. Him, because at only 3 years older than me, we still played together when we were young. I remember his mother because she was that substitute teacher that every school has… the tyrant that you never wanted to sub for your teacher! By tyrant, I mean a substitute who actually made you do your work!
I seem to remember Shaun Peter being ill when we were younger. I’m not sure what it was because I was so young at the time, but something caused him to not grow properly. I remember he wasn’t very tall, was very thin and had what seemed like abnormally long arms. I think it’s because they grew but the rest of his body didn’t.
He was always really friendly though. He was one of those kids who never picked on others, was never mean and always smiled. As we got older we saw less of each other but when our paths did cross he was always the same.
He seemed to be involved in everything. Just one of those kids who loved to be a part of all the teams and clubs… and he was especially into air cadets, which never did it for me at all.
Once he left high school we never really saw each other. It’s probably been about 17 years since I’ve seen him because like most people on the island, we left in search of bigger and better things.
I just gasped out loud as I realized how long it’s been since I’ve seen him, and many of my other childhood friends. It makes me feel old…
It’s strange because over those 17 years I may have thought about him once or twice at most. We were childhood friends but only because we shared a neighborhood and played together. Not in the lifelong friends sense… but still, I feel very sad knowing he’s gone.
It’s always sad when someone goes. Because no matter how little we may seem them or think of them once someone has crossed your path that person has become a part of you. So each time someone you know dies a part of you has too. The good news is the essence of that part isn’t gone. It has changed you and helped mould you even if you don’t remember or know how or how much. Be sad but take comfort in the fact that his life wan’t in vain because it touched yours and so many more.
I am sorry to hear that. It’s such a shame when someone dies so young.
Bugger, that cancer, innit?
After your post the other day I found this and thought you might like to have it:
http://www.lupinworks.com/lct/tsc99/partici.html
It is sad when you lose someone, no matter from what time in your life.
I’m sorry to hear about Shaun Peter. It’s always sad to hear about old friends in such a manner. Very sad indeed.
Sorry to hear about your friend passing away. Even though you don’t see or talk to people from the past there is always a piece of them somewhere inside. I’ver lost track of people over the years and it’s def sad to hear something as tragic as this that happened. I’m sure Shaun Peter is in a better place now.