A Special Note

On August 22, 2008, another tragedy struck our family. We lost Buddy to alcohol-related bleeding and cirrhosis of the liver. He had struggled with alcoholism over the years, but after Scotty took his life, Buddy literally drank himself to death. We all saw it coming but could do nothing to help him. He refused to get professional treatment. He was 49 years old.

Research shows that alcoholism tends to run in families. His deceased biological mother also suffered from the disease.

Like his brother, Buddy, too, achieved a successful career in his mid-thirties before alcohol began to control his life. He leaves behind his former wife of 19 years and three beautiful daughters, ages 17, 11, and seven. Buddy requested that his ashes be buried at Scotty’s gravesite.

Two sons, both in their forties, died tragic deaths a year and a half apart. It’s overwhelming. The saddest thing for parents is to suffer a child’s death. Predeceasing parents seems against the natural order. The pain of what happens to our children runs much deeper than what happens to us. Surely the order of recent events in our lives seems all wrong. Surely God had His reasons for doing this, reasons we may never understand. But surely, also, He will understand when we pray for needed rest from our family losses and for His loving protection over those of us who remain.