Weird Q of the day...have you ever cried when a forum member passed away?

[reader]

I''m a member of some VW forums. The deaths there have been very sudden, and we all took them very hard.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

This is interesting. We say that people on the internet are just faceless people, but more and more, that's not the case. Over years, you get to know people, who see their character, their families, their thoughts and dreams, and their struggles and triumphs. It's with truth when I mention a PSer as a friend....

My husband's best friend passed away last year. Paul met him through a forum with a very specific audience (architecture). Randy had been on that forum for YEARS and was one of the moderators. Over the years, many people had met him at meet ups (to take pictures of buildings, which I think is really funny until I think about the meet ups here to take pictures of one another's rings), and people who'd never met him, but still *knew* him had such an out pouring of love to his family after his death..... it was amazing. They were able to get all of the posts about the impact Randy had made over the years to his wife, and you know, even though she'd never met most of the people, she took such comfort in seeing the mark he'd left behind. They set up a way for posters to contribute to a trust fund for his two little boys, and it was so touching.

I think a lot of people who aren't part of a forum don't understand what sort of connections could be made, but they are much like any other friendship; you look forward to seeing what particular people have to say, how they're doing, and when they're upset, you want to be supportive, or just a sounding board for them.

Goodness, I'm not looking forward to the loss of a friend here. I get sad even when someone leaves without dying! (Remember Ephemery and how we all got worried about her leaving right before her baby was due??)

And when Natalie was born sleeping.... I was in tears and still get emotional over it. I find myself praying for PSers often, actually.....

 

[Mara]

yes... rockdoc, rich's wife, robin. all the angel babies, far far too many... and whenever someone posts about putting their pet to sleep. i can't even imagine.

part of it is usually how the poster composes the post ...so open and with such emotion...it it almost like you are there. it's horrible in a way, but we have such amazing writers here to make you feel emotion so acutely.

i think widget still lurks if i remember correctly.