I returned to Maui this weekend, to attend the funeral of my friend Eric Rynearson. For me, this is a terrible loss, that is actually quite hard for me to get over. I've never lost a friend before. As you get old, death is almost like an expected thing; but a friend who is young, smart, brave and everything you expect from a good man, it's difficult.
On the weekend of Jan. 19, he was coming up to Oahu and we were going to go out clubbing and have lots of fun. I had talked to him a few hours before the accident making plans on what we might be interested in doing. The next day, when I got the phone call of his death, I actually didn't believe it. If it wasn't for the fact that my friend on the other line was crying, I would have laughed. "Haha, good one Paiva."
At that time, I was keeping myself busy. I had work and school so it was easy to keep my mind off the issue. As people heard about it, they would say "sorry for your loss" and I would just say "yeah" or something because I really didn't want to think about it. I saw his picture in the news, and I just started crying. If all it takes is a picture of that cheezy smile of his to make me start crying then I wouldn't want to talk about it at all.
Now, after his funeral, I'm beginning to realize that though he may be dead, he'll always be with me in my heart. As unexpected as it is, it happens and all we can do is be glad that we were fortunate enough to have known this man.
Eric Rynearson
Staff Sergeant
8/12/85 - 1/19/08
1 comment:
Yes, i agree with you about coming to realized that your friend,loved one is very hare to bare. I lost my uncle 2 months ago and and just 3 days a go my great grandpa has died. when i when to my uncle's funeral i was too crying a lot, you see this man is where i get all my oddites. well i alwyas think about both of them a lot. well keep strong. and if you do some thing dangerous i will knock you upside the head (hahaha)
to eric, my grandpa, and my uncle
"Vio, con dios!"
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