I assume many of you will learn this soon enough, but as a place for babble and unleashed thoughts you can read it here first because I don't really want to tell this story 100 times. Explaining how I got engaged or things about the upcoming wedding are one thing but this is a whole different box of worms.
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Last night, right near midnight, after I was attempting to go to bed earlier than normal (since I've been so spent lately) I get a call from my father. Mind you, any call from my dad is unexpected let alone one at 1145pm on what I thought was going to be an idle Wednesday night. He asks me if I'm sitting down, so I went and found a chair.
He informs me the police had just left his house. The Fargo, ND police had just called the Illinois police to find my dad. Initially I think "oh hell, what happened to my grandma?" She seemed healthy and in good spirits, but it wasn't her. Then he sputtered out, in the midst of appropriate tears and sobbing, that the police had received a concerned phone call, went to the apartment to find out the my brother, Eric Fletcher, had died.
As to the details of how he died I will not disclose. I will keep that within the family. Also, the police are waiting on results from the autopsy. From what I can share or do know, he died while asleep which is as peaceful as someone can ask for. It's just such a shocking turn of events.
He's had such shit luck since he welcomed his first daughter into the world.
The mother of his child plays games, hides the child, kept her from her dad and played nonstop games. He didn't do fantastic in school and didn't really, from my perspective, have the best support system in his area. Family is one thing but I feel like he was missing a close knit group of friends. It's sad. Whatever it was it took its toll on Eric and no one will ever know. His daughter will grow up without a dad. Her grandma (my mom) may never get to meet her. It's all such a sad state of affairs.For those of you who know me, you know I've never been particularly close to Eric. We had our sibling rivalries and he had a long-standing spat with my mother. What gets me is that he was working on it, he was getting better, things were getting better with he and his daughter and he was hoping to bring her down here this summer so everyone could meet her and he could show her off, but he won't get to do that. And despite not being close to him, he's still family. Despite any dislike, distrust, or past aggressions, when it comes down to it he was still my brother.
Bah, it's impossible for me to wrap my head around it all. It's a clusterfuck of emotion. I'm not one who enjoys or deals with seriously sad situations all too well. Seeing my mom (and even my dad) being complete messes is tough on me. My mom was working hard to rebuild her lost relationship with Eric and now she won't get to have the chance. Looking back, it makes me wonder if any of the bullshit was worth it. The shit my dad pulled, Eric's defiance, me being an ass of an older brother most times...did it matter? No, but you never expect someone to be there one night and die the next.
It's not a "I never got to say goodbye" scenario. He and I talked when I got back from Vegas. He congratulated me on getting engaged and I acknowledged it. We, too, were working on some form of communication. He always knew I just wanted him to talk to our mom again and he was working at it, or so it seemed. Fuck, what a blow to the family.
All in all, it's sad. For those of you who knew Eric, you knew he'd do most anything for a smidge of the spotlight or some attention. I remember hearing about him doing goofy antics at summer camp, he'd always do something overly goofy or stupid so people would laugh, but he won't get those chances anymore and his daughter will never get to experience those times with her dad in the future. For the shit Mandy put him through I hope she's happy with her actions and her family too. They treated him like scum and now gets the added responsibility to lie to her daughter in years to come to tell her that she was nice to Eric when she never was, but by God she better paint a good picture of her dad to her. He was a goofy person but once he had Reegan in his life he seemed to have made a big personal change. His focuses became solely around her. Once the games began his task remained focused and simple - see his daughter at any appropriate cost. His life shouldn't have to be the cost to pay. He can now watch over her.
No one deserves to die young.
Eric Nathan Fletcher was 23 years old and was turning 24 at the end of August. It's all too sad. I pray for my parents and that they can remain strong through this. I know they, as well as myself, have a very strong group of family and friends behind us to help out wherever we may need. This comes very expectantly and will take quite the emotional toll on many of us in my family. So, I don't say this much, but keep Eric and my entire family in your prayers. If you don't pray - think happy thoughts like Peter Pan.
If anyone wants more info, let me know. It's all a mess of thoughts but you get the point. Sad day for our family and any of his friends. They say God does everything for a reason. Though I don't understand this one, I'm not sure if I will. I only hope he's in a better place now...
I'll probably be around this weekend and helping out with Ryan for the most part.
Will I stay dormant all weekend? No. I'll go stir crazy. My family comes first right now, but I'm up for doing things that are low key. If anyone is looking for information regarding services for Eric, I can post once I know, many of the formalities are still being determined.
RIP
Eric Fletcher
b August 31, 1984
d July 5, 2008
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2 comments:
i will definitely be keeping you and your family in my prayers.
I'm so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
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