“Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.” ― Mitch Albom

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.
Helen Keller

To say that this week has been a tough one is an understatement. Along with all the usual stresses of family life, and work life, I managed to get a sinus infection. All of that paled into insignificance though, at the news of a family friend passing away. He was very young, and it was very sudden. I've known him around 23 years. He was one of my younger brother's closest friends, and as such was a visitor to our family home. As time went on he was a regular at family gatherings and parties. Many is the time we had drunken conversations about nothing in particular. Well, it was mostly slagging off my brother, but in a fun way. 

 That was the thing you see. We could have a laugh and a giggle. He was such a nice person though. He lost his mum a few years back and I remember going to the funeral and trying to show support, little knowing that he would soon be doing the same for us. I went to school with two of his sisters, so I knew them well. Such a close lovely family. To hear his sister say today that she can't believe she had to bury her brother was heartbreaking. His poor dad was inconsolable. 

 The funeral was a bit different. It was very sad, but at the same time in a weird way it was an up beat tribute to his short life. People spoke about him in the highest regard. His best friend gave a fantastic speech about him. Memories of him doing his Elvis impressions and how much he loved Liverpool FC and Dublin GAA and how he was loved by everybody who met him. 

 It seems he had an undiagnosed heart complaint. He basically went to sleep and didn't wake up. We are all shocked to the core. My kids knew him as the funny guy who makes the birthday cakes and does Elvis impressions. He was a baker in the local supermarket and we always went to him for special cakes etc. I'll remember him for lots of reasons. The drunken conversations, lending him my t-shirt cause he had got sick on his, for being a loyal friend, and the love and support he always showed my family. His nick name was Flash and another of his party pieces was to stand on a chair or table, arms outstretched while Queen "Flash" was played. He loved it. And so did we. My poor brother and the rest of the gang carried his coffin to his final resting place. They played "You'll Never Walk Alone" as yellow roses were thrown on top of the coffin. 

 It was my privilege to have known you Flash. Fair play to you, you're a sound bloke and the world is definitely worse for not having you in it. You were taken too soon. Sleep well. xx

 A poem read out at the funeral;
http://lindaellis.net/the-dash/the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis/

 Flash
http://youtu.be/LfmrHTdXgK4

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