I know what you mean FourDice... I think it's a human reaction to being hurt by the loss of a fellow human being. We suddenly remember everything that we shared with that person, and it's as though there was a closer relationship there than you ever really had (I'm not saying you weren't close GTGirlieGirl).
You guys might have heard about the park ranger Joe Kolodski who was shot and killed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Father's Day 1998? My family and I had been out to dinner with Joe and his family, plus a few other close family friends the night before the shooting. My dad (the one who orignally purchased my Escort back in '93) is a park ranger there.. and since they both used to live on park housing, I would walk to Joe's house to hang out and play with his baby daughter when I was visiting my Dad. After they moved out from the park housing and into a permanant home in the area, I didn't see them as much anymore.. dinner with them that night was a special treat.
The next day I heard the helicopter landing at the Visitor Center, so I walked over to see what the commotion was.. and saw them loading Joe onto it from the ambulance for the flight over to Knocksville... I saw his wife there (who had been working in the visitor center) talking to him calmly.. unable to fly w/ him on the helicopter... knowing that he was already gone
...
anyway.. my point is, people would ask me if I had heard about the Ranger who was shot.. and I'd say, "I knew him, and I was there", they give me the :roll: It doesn't bother me.. I'd gain nothing by getting sympathy.. actually, it's the last thing I want(ed). So I'm inclined to believe that
most people who tell you they knew someone who died tragically aren't doing it for selfish reasons.
Sorry for the longwinded off topic tirade.
I hope her kids will be okay.
