Well, last night at the Young Men's activity, the newly called (as of just last Sunday) Young Men's President died of a heart attack. Brother Bennett, age 48, was playing soccer with the guys and felt short of breath. He sat out and then decided to go to the hospital when his breathing became patchy and restrained. The heart attack came just leaving the parking lot, and he died on the spot. The branch president and the other leader gave him the medical attention they were capable of before the paramedics arrived, but it was too late. Brother Bennett was the only tenor in our choir, and all the BYU students' favorite branch member. He cooked the meat at both branch BBQs and gave us rides whenever we needed them. He came with our group on our day trip to the Catlains, and brought coloring books for the primary kids. He was so sweet and gentle with the low-functioning special needs man Puta who just adored him and followed him everywhere. He was a major jokester, and just a really likeable guy.
Although I was never terribly close to Brother Bennett, I knew him well enough to mourn his death. He began feeling signs of sickness just 30 minutes before he died. I will miss his example of leadership in the branch and I know our small congregation here will feel the effects of his absence. Brother Bennett's sudden passing inspires me to treat everyone as if it were our last time together.
5 comments:
What a stunner! I'm sure his loss and absense will be deeply felt-and for a long time! You're absolutely right...we assume we'll all live to be 90, but you just never, never know when you may be called home and we'd better always be our best self with others!
That is so sad. :( I liked the moral of the story though, it kind of reminds me of that country song, "live like you were dying." Celebrate and commemorate each day.
DO IT NOW by Berton Braley
If with pleasure you are viewing any work a man is doing,
If you like him or you love him, tell him now;
Don't withhold your approbation till the parson makes oration
And he lies with snowy lilies on his brow;
No matter how you shout it he won't really care about it;
He won't know how many teardrops you have shed;
If you think some praise is due him now's the time to slip it to him;
For he cannot read his tombstone when he's dead.
More than fame and more than money is the comment kind and sunny
And the hearty, warm approval of a friend.
For it gives to life a savor, and it makes you stronger, braver,
And it gives you heart and spirit to the end;
If he earns your praise--bestow it; if you like him, let him know it;
Let the words of true encouragement be said;
Do not wait till life is over and he's underneath the clover,
For he cannot read his tombstone when he's dead.
I am so sorry to hear about Brother Bennett's passing away. He was so young, imagine, only 48.
I am sure he will be missed by many. It's so sad when someone dies so young. By today's standards, he was only half way through his life. (Well, close to it.)
So sorry. What a hole he will leave. I hope to live my life so that many would feel my absence.
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