Today I lost a friend in a motorcycle accident. The sister of my roommate "Basement Bobby" died today after hitting a barrier on her way home from work. Not much more is known yet. I took Bobby to the hospital and stayed with the family all afternoon. Carrie was 35, a mother of three, a singer in the band "The Fruitflys" in which her husband Brent and brother Bobby played. Brent and Carrie, were monumental in my development into old man status. I loved her, she loved me. I was fortunate enough to have performed a wedding ceremony for them a couple of years ago, just two weeks before the passing of Brents childhood friend and motorcycle racer Fritz Kling. Carrie sang like no one else, performed barefoot often, even in the winter, everybody who has ever met her has been changed. Carrie had the spirit of a 10 year old girl living in her, hugging everyone she met. I have never seen her angry. This woman was an 6 foot 2 angel. I had to stand on my tiptoes just to hug her and kiss her on the neck.
Carrier was a good safe rider, and we are all stunned at what happened today. She was by herself, and had the option of taking her car to work but insisted on riding, because she loved it, it was her passion.
Brent is a wreck, he has lost his best friend the love of his life, his sunshine. We are all grieving tonight. Please pray for the family and friends, especially Brent, he is really broken. Last night Carrie was putting up clothes for a church donation, Carrie gave more than she ever took.
The moral to the story is, please grasp for your stars, love like nothing else matters, make sure everyone knows. Hug someone you love right now, Smile for Carrie she would like that. Life is short and very precious.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6 A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
...and chapter 41 v. 9-13
9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.
12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.
13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
It is tragic to us who are left behind when God calls his children home. She was one of his many gifts to us, and your comfort may lie in the fact that she is waiting for everyone who held her close. Time is of no consequence to her now, only to those who remain.
Eternal life is His ultimate gift, so celebrate her life in honor of this.
May God bless you and all who were close to her, my prayers and those of my family are with you in your time of loss.
Thank you all, we are still working through it. The memorial service was today, the pastor really did a great job of capturing, portraying Carries life and love. We will be scattering her ashes in the UP along the Two Hearted river on her wedding date in September. Carrie and Brent were married in the river during fish camp only a few short years ago.
Hey Swamp, I'm sorry to hear it. Words are empty when you read them, but I know the feeling of losing those close to you, who mean so much. While "you have my sympathy" means so little when you read it, if you could feel the emotion behind it, you would know it's meant from the heart.
Tomorrow night her husband is reassembling the band and playing at the regular gig they did on Thursdays. I am excited to say the least, I know Carrie would have wanted it to happen, I can almost see her her head and say "Yeah" I know I have said it before but she was an absolutly beautiful woman who made everybody feel like a member of the family the first time they met her, it was just incredible how she did it.