[ckissick]

There have been so many threads on friends/family members who passed away. I thought I'd add my story, but with a lesson in mind. The lesson? Don't smoke. I'd bet many of you smoke, mostly younger Pelicans.

My wife's good friend's husband smoked 3 packs a day since he was a teen. He got lung cancer and died recently. He was 45. Teens who start smoking think if they die, they'll be old, anyway. 45 is not old. And his kids, a 9-year old girl, and 4-year old twin boys, are too young to lose their Daddy. I'm not one to lecture people on their vices, but when I saw those beautiful kids at the funeral...

They say there is a 1 in 6 chance you'll die of lung cancer or other smoking related diseases if you smoke. I wonder how many teens would smoke if, to be allowed to smoke, they had to sign a contract to play a round of Russian roulette on their 45th birthday.