Fallen Friend

On Monday, where my husband works, there was a work related accident that killed a man. My husband Mike works for Dom-Ex, Inc., where they sell heavy equipment and parts for these machines to mines around the world. Mike has a desk job, but on the property, they have an equipment yard where they store some of their large machinery and parts.

At this yard, a very interesting man named Dave ran things. He worked there for 20 years. He was 62 years old, and the type of person with a dark sense of humor and was completely aware of his own mortality. He was the kind of man who would tell someone that the job was dangerous so HE would do it...you just go stand over there. Mike shared a lot of his views on things, and they would often talk together. Dave was a little more out there than Mike, but they'd have a good time talking conspiracy theories and general guy-talk.

Monday, Dave was using a boom truck/small crane thing to lift up a very large, heavy piece of machinery. It was like a two ton spindle for something or other. It was supposed to be in two pieces, but was fused together, and the guys working on it couldn't get it apart. Dave said he'd lift it with the crane. Just as it reached him, at the exact moment, it came apart and fell on him, killing him instantly.

Mike was recently trained as a first responder, and has ALWAYS carried an emergency scanner with him, so he heard the page for an ambulance right away. He went up there, and the other workers had already freed Dave from the machine. But, he died instantly. Mike was there with him.

Here's a bizarre ending to this tale...well, one of two odd stories. First of all, Dave would have wanted to go this way. As I mentioned, he was aware of his mortality. He once told Mike a few years ago that he knew he would someday die on the job, and when he did, he wanted Mike to zip up the body bag. Wouldn't you know it, he did. Second of all, I think it was Dave's time to go. You know how sometimes it just seems like that? Well, this weekend, he was driving an ATV with his 28 year old son. The ATV was leaking antifreeze, so he had brought some with him and just put it in a soda bottle. He says to his son that, damn, he forgot to take his pill, pulls out a bottle and downs his pill. YEP....the antifreeze bottle. He had spent a night in the hospital this weekend because of that, and then Monday....this. I think sometimes it's just someone's time to go.

I didn't know you well, Dave, but Mike always respected you, appreciated your conversations, and enjoyed all the stories. He shares them with me, and I enjoy them, too. You were one helluva guy. I know you are in a better place, and may you raise heck wherever you are. Even though I don't drink beer, I shall have one this weekend and raise my bottle to you. I think this is the best memorial you would want. :) Peace be with you.

And peace be with all of you tonight, too.