[astrochex]

It is great that you are there for him, Marty.

I can relate to what you are going through. My parents had very good friends, Tom and Dorothy, that they met through motorcycling. My dad and Tom were best friends. My wife and I knew them because we would spend time with them at family gatherings, wine tastings, and the occasional Super Bowl party. Tom and Dorothy always said my parents adopted them into our family. It hit them hard too, when my father died.

Tom was a decorated Marine who fought in Vietnam. He joined when he was 15 yrs old. Tom started having health issues a little over ten years ago which did not improve as years passed. After we moved to Florida, I would call Tom on a somewhat regular basis, to stay in touch and see how they were doing. I would call him on Veterans Day too, because of his sacrifices for our country. Tom's condition degraded to where he could not walk and was wheelchair bound. Even then, Tom would never complain about his condition, but accepted it and moved on. A lot like Charlie.

I last talked to Tom a week ago Saturday. This past Saturday, Dorothy called me and told me that Tom's condition had worsened and that he was also diagnosed with colon cancer. She was not sure how much longer he had. It was not very long because he died yesterday. I will miss Tom too, almost as much as my dad.

Marty, spend as much time as you can with Charlie. Sometimes just being there for someone is what is needed. Stay strong.