They Really Do Seem to Come In Threes...
Last week, it was my mom. This week it was Harvey Korman (not a relative, but a very important part of my childhood, because I like so many others, watched "Carol Burnett" every Sunday night, then again every night when it went into syndication in 1978).
And this morning at 6:30, I got a call from Aunt Fay, telling me that my cousin Marty (my aunt Rosemary's son) had died. His wife went to check on him and found him slumped over. We're not sure exactly how it happened, but we're guessing maybe he had a hemorrhage of some kind (his father had one once several years ago, and required surgery which he almost didn't survive--my cousins are trying to figure out how to tell him now). Marty was 44. He and his wife have a seven-year-old daughter (a monster, to be sure, but still a little girl).
It was really a shock. I'm glad in a way that Mom isn't here to have to hear it, but my heart is breaking for my cousins right now, especially his sister Mary Ann, who's been battling breast cancer herself for six years. First she lost my mom, who was sort of her ally and partner in fighting the cancer battle, and now she's suddenly lost her younger brother. And for my cousin Julie, who's the same age as I am, and who was in my class in our Catholic grade school (I joke that we braved the penguins together). And who came and spent time at Mom's bedside last Saturday the day before Mom passed.
I wasn't really very close to Marty when I grew up, because we all kind of scattered and went our separate ways. (Also, he and the other older kids used to pick on me when aunt Rose babysat me when I was little.) But he and his siblings were a really important part of my life when I was a kid. It's sad to see these people go so soon. I hope that I can be a source of strength to my cousins now like they were for me just a really short time ago.
Aunt Fay said on the phone this morning, "This family's just going to pot!"
For a moment I misunderstood her and thought she said she had some.
I sure could have used it right about then!
And this morning at 6:30, I got a call from Aunt Fay, telling me that my cousin Marty (my aunt Rosemary's son) had died. His wife went to check on him and found him slumped over. We're not sure exactly how it happened, but we're guessing maybe he had a hemorrhage of some kind (his father had one once several years ago, and required surgery which he almost didn't survive--my cousins are trying to figure out how to tell him now). Marty was 44. He and his wife have a seven-year-old daughter (a monster, to be sure, but still a little girl).
It was really a shock. I'm glad in a way that Mom isn't here to have to hear it, but my heart is breaking for my cousins right now, especially his sister Mary Ann, who's been battling breast cancer herself for six years. First she lost my mom, who was sort of her ally and partner in fighting the cancer battle, and now she's suddenly lost her younger brother. And for my cousin Julie, who's the same age as I am, and who was in my class in our Catholic grade school (I joke that we braved the penguins together). And who came and spent time at Mom's bedside last Saturday the day before Mom passed.
I wasn't really very close to Marty when I grew up, because we all kind of scattered and went our separate ways. (Also, he and the other older kids used to pick on me when aunt Rose babysat me when I was little.) But he and his siblings were a really important part of my life when I was a kid. It's sad to see these people go so soon. I hope that I can be a source of strength to my cousins now like they were for me just a really short time ago.
Aunt Fay said on the phone this morning, "This family's just going to pot!"
For a moment I misunderstood her and thought she said she had some.
I sure could have used it right about then!
posted by Aaron at 10:52 AM
5 Comments:
We talked about Harvey Korman and now he is gone. I hope Carol Burnett is careful. On TV they showed a skit with Harvey playing Rhett Butler and Carol playing Scarlett O'Hara. Just as he was about to recite his famous "I don't give a Damn" line Carol slammed the door in his face. It was a great ensemble cast. I remember Carol Burnett started out on the Garry Moore show.
I feel your loss as I lost a nephew on christmas 2006 and my best friend on this past Christmas 2007. I am so dreading this coming Chirstmas. I had three uncles to die in a row. One died each August for three straight years. Ed
I figure I did my Christmas penance in 2003 when my grandmother died...our losses are rather more unpredictable. Boy, THIS one sure was! Marty had no health problems as far as we knew, which was why Fay guessed about the hemorrhage...she's going to call me later tonight when she finds out more...
Go get some pot, dude.
When I heard about Harvey Korman, I thought, "Aaron's gonna be sad." No idea how sad your morning would really be.
It's really just too much. I can't even, don't want to imagine what your cousin's wife is going through.
Be nice to the little girl. She's going to need good male role models. My cousin lost her husband when her kids were 2 and 5. They've had some rough patches but they're uncles have been great at filling in for the missing dad.
Their, d'oh!
Thanks Sarah! I knew what you meant! :-) As far as the little girl (Claire), I think it's just a matter of not having lots of, how shall we say, boundaries. I have a feeling, left to her own devices, her motner would like to set those...I heard from Julie, and it sounds like she's trying to have services here and burial in TX (where he and Patty lived). I'd love to be there for my cousins, so I hope they have something in IL...
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