I had a friend I’d made at the BtVS site a couple years ago. We AIMed, we e’d. He was interested in spirituality and we had long talks about my Catholicism. He wasn’t universally popular - quite frankly he creeped some people out. He suffered from lifelong addictions to drugs and alcohol, but in these last few years he was really trying to beat it and had been in rehab several times. When he was sober he was bright and interesting. He wasn’t quite so much fun when he wasn’t sober.
He’d been missing for a while - I sort of figured he was in rehab again. The word came yesterday that he’d been found dead. Today we heard that he’d been found dead in a “derelict basement” and had been dead some time. His roommate identified the body. He’s the first on-line friend that I know of that has died. I wonder know if I could’ve done more for him, more than be supportive. But I guess you can’t stop a frieght train, and he was hurdling fast toward a precipice.
RIP, Frodo. I hope you found in death the peace that escaped you in life.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend StGermain. I have many online friends that I consider IRL friends as well. I can’t imagine having one missing and wondering where they were for so long only to find out they have died. I hope your doing okay and I’m sure you did the best you could to help. Take Care.
(I was going to post this before, but my computer ran into problems)
I’m very sorry to hear the news about your friend, StGermain. I consider some of my online friends to be (as good as) friends in real life, and I’d be shocked if I heard they had died. What you are going through is unimaginable for me… to wonder where they were for so long, and then find out that piece of news.
I hope you’re doing okay, and don’t beat yourself up over what you might have done to help him better. I’m postiive you did the best you could, even though that’s probably small comfort. Take care of yourself, okay?
I often think about death, and whether anyone I know in strictly the online sense would ever know or care if I passed on (morbid thoughts, I know). I think it’s wonderful that you care, and care enough to write about it.
I think for a lot of people, myself included, the people we meet online are the people we bare our souls to because we don’t have to see the person every day; they’re not talking with our friends about us when we’re not around; they don’t have any preconcieved notions or incorrect contexts in which to place us.
In some ways, this can be a much more pure and unfettered relationship than real life relationships (not saying better, just different).
I may have had a point, but I’m not quite sure what it is; I’m still posting this though, because I think it’s important anyway. And, as others have said, we are here for you if you need anybody.
