38: Gardner Chambers, #RIP

Found out about an hour ago that a childhood friend of mine passed away last night. Not sure how, still waiting for his brother to get back to me, but it's got me kind of messed up. He was just a couple years older than me. He was my upstairs neighbor when I first moved to Rochester and was actually the first boy I ever made out with. We weren't close in our adult life or anything, really just Facebook friends, but this shit is just kinda trippy. People out here dying left and right, man. Left and right. YOUNG. It might intensify once I find out what actually happened, but as it is, it's got me thinking about my own mortality.

What will people remember about me? What do I remember about him? I remember he was mad cool. He was fast as fuck! I can still see his pigeon-toed slave feet running quick as a bitch across the courtyard, racing anybody willing to get dusted. He wasn't much of a looker, I'll admit, but he had such a jovial spirit, a great sense of humor. I took to him immediately. He started out one of my "big brothers" along with his actual brothers who were all really close with my family at the time. In fact, us making out was kind of the beginning of the end. Not long after that, his older brother got locked up for murder - 30 years - and shortly after that, the family moved away. We all reconnected on Facebook a few years ago.

Sigh.

I really want to know how he died. I don't know why it matters, but it kinda does. I think it's crucial to the closure. He's a part of my tapestry and since every thread has an impact, I need to know how this happened. For now, I will simply grieve his exit of this earth and reminisce on the crazy times we had back in the day. I pray peace for his family and his soul.

Rest in heaven, Gardner.


****Update****

No word still from the brother but I think I know why..... I googled it and found that he and his wife were both killed, an apparent murder-suicide; that he shot her and then himself. They were apparently separated at the time, apparently behind some charges of him having sexually abused one of their children, according to a comment posted on the article.

Wow. Just..... wow.