A friend up and died on us today at age 53-Heart Attack

Hugh R · 07:17 PM

Been friends for around 28 years. We and a group of five other families have been camping, BBQing, Holiday parties, etc. for two decades. He was kind of over weight, mainly around the waist, but had been bicycling for the last 5 years, 50"s, centuries, moderate drinker non-smoker. Was on his bike, felt bad and was near his Mom and Dad's house so he stopped in for a break. Fell dead on the living room floor in front of the parents. He was 53, I'm 58.

Kind of makes you think. Fortunately his kids are out of college and he left his wonderful wife well off financially. In retrospect, I kind of thought he might have been at my memorial service.... Dennis Pacheco CFO of the Los Angeles Country Club. CPA, graduate of UCLA.

GWN7 · 08-18-2012, 07:14 PM

Sorry for your loss Hugh

Hugh R · 07:45 PM

Thanks,

I was more reflecting on life. Our six families new each other before all of us had kids, then we had kids, then we had parents dying, then we have marriages of the kids, now we have us passing away. Such is life. I guess.

flatbutt · 08-18-2012, 07:21 PM

It's a real reality check isn't it Hugh? You have my condolences.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I feel you hugh. My dad lost one of his best friends to cancer a few weeks back... We knew the cancer was back, but he hadn't told anyone other than his family that it was bad and he had stopped all treatment, even dialysis. Luckily he survived 6 years with myeloma, and was able to see 3 of his 4 kids graduate, and one of his 2 sons get eagle.

Its always the good guys too..

pete3799 · pete3799's Garage

Sorry for your loss Hugh.
Never easy......harder when it's out of the blue like that.

Zeke · 08-18-2012, 07:51 PM

Wow. 53. Very sorry to hear this.

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

Sad news. Was he under any treatment for his heart?

LakeCleElum · 08-18-2012, 08:04 PM

Hugh - Sorry to hear of this.

I'm only 2 yrs older than you. To prepare you; I had nine close friends pass on last year.....Youngest was only 51, passed during heart surgery.

At the end of the year, I had a hard time recalling who all 9 were. Thought maybe I'd start a spread sheet to track kinda like I do with books I read. Finally didn't, figured it would be better this year....

I was wrong and am already losing track of who I've lost this year....Sad, but I guess it's part of getting old?

Hugh R · 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72doug2,2S

Sad news. Was he under any treatment for his heart?

He had a company mandated very through cardio exam as an Executive a month ago. Apparently they gave him a really, really intensive cardio exam; one with a machine that took lots of films over time of his heart, serious stress tests where they get the BPH up over 140 and then grab instantaneous blood samples. The Docs said he was OK to continue the road bike. Weird.

holtjv · 08-18-2012, 08:54 PM

That does suck, Hugh.

You feel your mortality at different points in your life. But, flatbutt says it best, as usual.

Hope to buy you a margarita soon..Jack

crustychief · crustychief's Garage

Sorry to hear of your friend passing Hugh. My neighbors are in their mid 20's and Iswear they go to a wedding at least once a month. Today as they were leaving to yet another one I had a thought. I used to go to weddings a lot as well when I was in my mid 20's but soon I will probably be going to a different type of gathering.
Regards,
Sandy

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

It really makes you think when you lose a friend that is about your age. It is just wrong man.

One of my best friends from Podiatry school lost his 50 year old wife to a heart attack about a week ago, 3 days before her 51st birthday. She was a great lady. They were both podiatrists, together 31 years, 7 kids, oldest is 22. They would go down to Guatamala ever year and do surgery on kids down there for free. Put the arm on vendors to donate stuff to do the work. If there was a kid who did not have a family that could take care of them while they recovered, Linda would bring them home and take care of them until they were well enough to send them home.

***** makes me cry just thinking about it.

Joeaksa · 08-18-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

He h ad a company mandated very through cardio exam as an Executive a month ago. Apparently they gave him a really, really intensive cardio exam; one with a machine that took lots of films over time of his heart, serious stress tests where they get the BPH up over 140 and then grab instantaneous blood samples. The Docs said he was OK to continue the road bike. Weird.

An old friend of mine had had a heart attack but then been cleared after bypass surgery and so on, and even returned to work as a Captain for PanAm flying the B-747. Month or so after his extensive medical he called his doc and said that he just did not feel right and the doc said to come in next week unless it was bad. After all, they had just done an extensive work-up on him recently...

He owned an island up in Michigan somewhere and was on the island when the second heart attack hit. He knew what it was and made it to the mainland in a boat and then to an ambulance but it was too late and they could not revive him.

When its your time, nothing is going to change that... and losing friends, I am sorry to say, is part of getting older. Just hope that it makes all of us savor our remaining time on this beautiful earth just a bit more.

Hey Bob (LakeCleElum),

Been thinking of you with all these fires going on. You ok up there?

Joe A

pavulon · 08-19-2012, 05:04 AM

Brother: had an MI at age 32. Ate like a rabbit, ran two road races that summer, skinny, athletic, no risk factors (other than hating his job...a lot)-->one stent, new career and no trouble since.

Old friend: died in Feb. 50. Competitive triathlete for almost 30 years. Headed to Kona this Sept. Another "didn't feel right and had an appointment" situation. Woke in the middle of the night, told wife he was going down stairs, never came back up. 3 year old son.

Sorry for your loss.

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Sorry for your loss Hugh. Life does work in mysterious ways. It is hard to take with a friend so young and especially for the parents to have a child pass away right in front of them.

Baz · Baz's Garage

Condolences, Hugh. My philosophy is to count your blessings every day and night...you never know....

KFC911 · 08-19-2012, 05:51 AM

Very sorry for your loss Hugh...

speeder · speeder's Garage

My condolences, Hugh. I lost a guy I went to grade school with last year from a heart attack. He would have been 52 at the time since I'm 53 now. He was on a bus in downtown Mpls., going to a Twins game. Had the MI and unfortunately did not get to a hospital fast enough. He was a twin himself, hadn't thought of that coincidence until I wrote this now. Bummer...

Drdogface · Drdogface's Garage

Sad for you and his family. It is a real shocker to lose one of your peers like that. Had the same thing happen 3 years ago to my life long friend...62 years we were Buds.

Take care of yourself. I know you're there for his family.