The Magistrate

[highplainsdem]

25. His son Brendan died of a sudden heart attack Nov. 5, 2020, and he posted about the loss 11/22/2020.

A tremendously moving.message that I ran across for the first time last night:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181431425

It was heartbreaking to read, especially after his own unexpected heart attack.

I'm ashamed that I missed it earlier and couldn't offer condolences then, but it's only been since last fall that I started making a habit of skimming the Latest posts, which I never used to look at. I'd look at LBN and GD, sometimes notice the Trending and Greatest threads on the home page, but often missed them, too.

He posted about his son in the Lounge, and my only activity in the Lounge that month was posting a video from a Christmas special at the end of the month. So I'd had no idea of that loss, and reading about it left me in tears last night.

I do believe in an afterlife. I have no idea if he did, and I saw while searching for his posts and our interactions that he had sometimes posted in the Religion forum, which is dominated by atheists/agnostics. My own belief in an afterlife has nothing to do with religion, though, but is based on experiences I've had and learned about from others, whether in conversation or books or videos.

I don't know if James crossed over already or is still here. But I believe he'll be crossing over to reunions with loved ones, including Brendan. To peace and love. And I hope his loved ones here will be able to sense that, in some way, and that it will comfort them.