Last Friday the 13th, my neighbor passed away. Gary had a weakened immune system, contracted influenza followed by pneumonia, survived on a ventilator for several days and finally died.
I became profoundly mournful after hearing the news. First and foremost, I’d known Gary to be a good, kind and generous man in the 10 years I’ve lived across the street from him. He regularly helped me with DIY projects, most recently securing the handrail going up my front steps last fall.
Gary spent decades as his mother’s caregiver until she recently moved into an assisted living facility. He always had scrap metal lying around his yard for one welding project or another. And for me, Gary served as a harbinger of the darkest days still ahead for our country during the current coronavirus pandemic.
