Shawn

Lisa and I, once again, drove to Washington together.
Lisa called just days before our drive and her first words to me were, "Are you sitting down?" My thoughts immediately went to Carol. With everything she has had to go thru in these past months my mind pleaded as my thoughts raced faster than I was even able to speak the affirmation that 'yes, I am sitting down.'
Please don't let anything more have happened to Carol! Please!
Lisa continued by telling me that Shawn was dead.
Please! No! Please!
She explained to me that he had been with a so-called friend the night before, that they had been drinking and that Shawn had overdosed. This friend left him, most likely out of fear and once an ambulance had gotten to him and took him to the hospital he was now basically being sustained only by life support.
This is second hand information and while I have since talked with Carol, it is important for me to note that much of the events of that night are unknown. Additionally, I feel it is only appropriate that the family have their privacy in such a case like this.
Regardless I was heart broken. Shawn is an amazing man! He has been by Carol's side as she has gone through this recent tragedy. I watched as Carol's heartbeat would literally increase at the moment Shawn would bend down to kiss his sister's forehead in her hospital room. I was witness to his free flowing tears as he expressed his disbelief at all that Carol was having to go through. I knew of his love for her, it was undeniable, now and as his younger sister so many years ago.
Shawn had been struggling with his own challenges. I knew of his problems with alcohol and the strains in his marriage, not to mention the pain he expressed to me first hand regarding all that Carol was having to go through.
Carol shares an unmistakable bond with her older brothers and I knew immediately the devastation that this would cause her. I cried.
Really I wept and I allowed Lisa to make the plans for us. I knew that we needed to be there for Carol when she attended her brother's funeral and I knew that I wanted to pay my own respects as well.

What more could this dear family be expected to endure...