my first obituary

hi,
this is a sad day for our clan. One of our favorite family members took his own life yesterday and we are all devastated.

Is it appropriate to write an obit on my blog? I have no idea but I have to put this down in writing somewhere and this seemed as good a place as any.

Michael Herman, 62, loved by all who met him and knew him. Literally.
No one seemed stronger or more gentle than Michael. I met him when I was in Grade 8. My cousin, Mary Ellen brought him to our family Passover Seder that year and I fell in love with him. He sat next to me at the Seder table and spent the whole time talking to me as if I was the most important person in the world. He had that way about him that was focused and engaging. Michael also remembered the 8th grade history text book, practically verbatim, even though he was 10 years older than me. We discussed Henry VIII and all his wives. He was better than my history teacher. "Brilliant" was the adjective that described him. I was hooked for life on Michael Herman.

Michael and Mary Ellen married (I was so jealous she got him before I even had a chance), and had three fabulous children, Jacob, Rebeca & Elizabeth. They suffered loosing 'Lizzie' to a rare blood disorder that she battled her whole life of almost 12 years. Michael became the family rock. he got everyone through Lizzie's passing away. Always saying the right thing and comforting the world. He took care of us all. That was how we survived, Michael made the hurt go away, seemingly absorbing your pain into him and never showing any signs of his own needs.

In the movie, The Green Mile, the main character is a huge man who has healing powers and saves people from their physical traumas. Michael was like that too. Larger than life, encompassing of everyones' grief, pain or sorrow. In the film the character finally succumbs and is relieved to die himself. He had had enough of trying to heal everyone and couldn't take the pain anymore. Maybe Michael was feeling like that, making his decision to take his own life, because he was too full to carry any more hurt inside. We will never know, and that is the pain that we will all carry for Michael the rest of our lives.

xox
m