A friend passed away last night

[TUSooner]

Very sad. I'm feeling kinda sick to my stomach right now. I got to know and like the guy when I was coaching softball and little kids' soccer. His daughter goes to school and played sports with my youngest. He declined to coach, though he had been a teacher and very successful HS softball coach. At first glance, he seemd like one of those hot-tempered over-competitive sports dads. But after meeting him personally, it was immediately obvious that he was a humble, kind, intelligent, high-minded, and very decent man, who loved coaching and loved the kids he coached. Six or seven years ago, he contracted some odd virus while harvesting oysters. They thought he was a goner, and called in the family and the priest. He recovered, but the docs were sure he'd need a heart transplant. He surpised everybody, though, and the heart transplant was deemed unnecessary. He didn't coach, but was healthy, active, and enthusiastic for the last 3 years or so. This summer, he was finally going to coach the club softball team our kids had always played on. Sadly, his heart just quit on him last night. You might want to keep his wife, daughter, son, and the rest of his family in your prayers. Thanks.

[MamaMia]

I will. I am so sorry to hear about your friend TU. Its so hard to go on after losing a parent but especially difficult for kids to grow up without their father. :(

[colleyvillesooner]

done. Very sad.

[Okla-homey]

Prayers sent, but I gotta ask, WTF kind of disease did he get from the oyster harvesting that weakened his heart? I love those things. Can you get it from ingesting raw oysters?

[85Sooner]

iT IS SAD that we lose good men like that. I always wonder why God lets so many scumballs live when good folks are taken. I guess we will never know the answer to that. Prayers are on their way and God Bless the family.

[olevetonahill]

IN

[Newbomb Turk]

sorry TU - prayers for his family.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Sorry for your loss.

[BajaOklahoma]

Done.
We lost a couple of Dads in our neighborhood when their kids were in grade school and middle school. It was wonderful to see the friends step up. The kids usually had several offers to take them to kid/parent events and help with carpooling.

[Tailwind]

So sad. In.

[Howzit]

:(

Sorry, dude.

[Soonerus]

Sorry for the loss to all...thoughts and prayers are with you and the family...

[usmc-sooner]

sorry

[OCUDad]

So sorry, TU. Many of us know the pain of losing a friend, and there's little others can do to help, other than to let you know our hearts are with you in your time of sadness.

I hope you and his other friends can keep a kind eye on his family now and in the hard times to come.

[Penguin]

I'm sorry to hear that, TU. Very sad. :(

[TUSooner]

Prayers sent, but I gotta ask, WTF kind of disease did he get from the oyster harvesting that weakened his heart? I love those things. Can you get it from ingesting raw oysters?
First: Thanks to you all. I was at the school the other day to pick up my daughter, and I saw his daughter in the hall. She gave me a hug and I mentioned I had seen her name in the paper for some key hits in recent games. She's a good kid and will miss her dad terribly. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for her as time passes.

Homey, I'm not 100% sure about the bad virus or if he actually contracted it from the water, but I recall everybody believed he got some tainted water in a cut or something. The guy was an oysterman, had a few boats and crews and some productive oyster leases. Those beds are in shallow water, and the Gulf can get pretty warm - a great environment for all sorts or pernicious microbes. I believe he had once been struck by lightning out there, too, although the charge passed through a long pole into the water rather than passing through his body, in which case he would not have survived. I don't know much about 'lectricity, so I could have misheard. He was an intensely decent man.

[OCUDad]

Homey: Only Texas oysters are dangerous.:P Hook 'em

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17451633/

[PAW]

my condolences to you and the family

[SoonerGirl06]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

[OUHOMER]

Sad deal. prayers for all involved.

[BoogercountySooner]

Prayers for you and your freinds family TU.

[Okieflyer]

iT IS SAD that we lose good men like that. I always wonder why God lets so many scumballs live when good folks are taken. I guess we will never know the answer to that. Prayers are on their way and God Bless the family.

You probably do know the answer. We cannot understand God's ways. Someday we may get to see why and go "Oh, that's why":eek: . We're only here for a very short time, 70 years if we're blessed, longer if we're more blessed. God's view is eternal and we don't have the capacity to understand yet.

I get your point though and I will definatly pray for his family.

[crawfish]

Sorry to hear about the loss. His family, and you, will be in our thoughts and prayers.