A Sad Day for me.. One of my friends and Body Shop guy has died.

By now I'm certain in a few of my threads you have seen my truck bed and trailer loaded up with metal from whom I referred to as "My Body Shop Guy." Over the last 3 years or so I had some laughs, lots of hang out time, some scrap splits with him and shared a lot about life and our philosophies.

Probably about 3 months ago he said "I'm packing up.. I'm closing my shop and my wife and I are moving to Florida" He invited me to his home- cleaned out some stuff from his shed he said I could have. I texted him after that visit a few times asking how the Florida move and plans were coming along.. didn't hear back from him.

I heard a few weeks back that he had been in a really bad wreck with his truck. I wasn't sure if it was the truck that got messed up or he did too. I sent a text after calls went unanswered. His wife sent me a text and said that he had been Life-lined from that accident but that he was in the hospital. I asked which one so I could possibly go and visit and see how my old friend was doing.. she never texted back.

Today I found out that he had passed away.. The obituary showed that he had passed on 8/31 and of course now I am way too late to have been able to go to his service. I don't take the paper and for some reason was drawn to look online at the obituaries that the daily paper has posted on their website. I just had a bad feeling since I have literally heard nothing from him, his wife or anyone else in the family.

I went back into my phone and saw that I had sent another text on 8/30 to ask again how he was doing and never received a reply.. not sure if he ever knew if I "checked in on him" or not.

But this morning. I raise my coffee cup and clang his Bud Light bottle.

Rest In Peace you crazy bastard.. I Love Ya! I will miss you buddy!
Godspeed!

Sorry to hear that, man. Sounds like you lost a good friend and a good contact. I, too, will raise my coffee...or my eighth. I had to wake up early today!

Sorry for your loss Sledge...Time spent with friends and family is precious as we never know if it's us or them that the good Lord calls on next.

Thanks to you guys for your support. I sent a text to his phone hoping his wife may get it. She called me and we spoke for an hour+ She said "I haven't turned on his phone for over a week and there you were"

I feel so bad for her.. she said "I am lost"

Apparently, he did not die from his injuries in the accident. He had gotten out of the hospital. There were a chain of events that transpired after the accident, that I don't want to go into, but it has been quite a strain on her and the family.. not only with the loss.. but also the circumstances that led to it. Which makes his passing all that more difficult to deal with.