Seven years ago on this day, I lost a dear friend. What's crazy is - it doesn't matter how much time passes. I still wake up, I think about him, and tears rush down my face.
Johnnie was a good friend of my high school boyfriend, Rick. Rick and I broke up shortly after high school, but Johnnie and I kept in touch. He was simply one of the nicest, sweetest people I had ever met, and our friendship meant a lot to me. We even tried dating at one point, but it didn't work out. We were like brother and sister.
In 2002, he suffered a major asthma attack and passed away at the age of 26.
The cause of his death was due to a dysfunctional inhaler - it wasn't dispensing the medication. His girlfriend called the paramedics during the attack, but by the time they got there (30 minutes later), it was too late. His mother and girlfriend expressed interest in filing a lawsuit against the inhaler company, but I'm not sure whatever happened. We lost touch.
The day I found out about Johnnie's death is a day I will never forget. You see, the night before, I had an incredibly vivid dream about a friend of mine dying. The friend in the dream was African American. (Johnnie was of white, black and Japanese decent)
I woke up crying at 2 a.m., calmed myself down, then shortly fell back asleep.
At work that day, May 22, I remembered the dream, and I was still so shaken by it. So - and this sounds corny but -I then contacted two good friends at work (both men were black) and told them about the dream. I also told a few girlfriends. I don't know why I felt compelled to do it. I've had plenty of bad dreams. But this one felt different. I felt like something bad could happen to somebody.
That afternoon I received a phone call from my mom. She said my ex-boyfriend, Rick, who I hadn't talked to since our breakup 10 years prior, had tracked down her work phone number. She said he needed to get in touch with me. So she gave me his phone number.
At that point, still thinking of my dream, I started shaking and I got a little knot in my stomach.
I knew what happened.
I quickly called him and he said, "Christi. One of our good friends died last night."
And I said, "No. No. Don't say Johnnie."
And he said, "It was Johnnie."
I dropped the phone and fell to the ground. I thought..."I had just had dinner with Johnnie 5 days before! This can't be happening."
My co-workers were such an incredible support. Linda, my boss at the time, drove me home and Kath, the manager of my department, gave me 2 days bereavement.
Losing a friend or family member is never easy. Losing them suddenly is simply the hardest thing you'll ever go through. And his poor mom. She lost her only son. I think of her so much on this day, especially now that I'm a mother. Johnnie was supposed to leave for Mexico for a guys trip the morning he died. His closest friends were at the airport when they received the news. Some of them still went on the vacation and some of them stayed. I can understand both sides.
Johnnie worked at BECU, he loved to play basketball, and he was a "Big Brother" a few days a week to 2 boys who lived in South Seattle. I often wonder how his death affected those boys - they were about 12 at the time and in desperate need for someone like Johnnie in their lives. In high school, EVERYONE loved Johnnie. You couldn't hate the guy. If anyone did, there was seriously something wrong with that person.
Miss you, Johnnie. Miss you every day.
Johnnie was a good friend of my high school boyfriend, Rick. Rick and I broke up shortly after high school, but Johnnie and I kept in touch. He was simply one of the nicest, sweetest people I had ever met, and our friendship meant a lot to me. We even tried dating at one point, but it didn't work out. We were like brother and sister.
In 2002, he suffered a major asthma attack and passed away at the age of 26.
The cause of his death was due to a dysfunctional inhaler - it wasn't dispensing the medication. His girlfriend called the paramedics during the attack, but by the time they got there (30 minutes later), it was too late. His mother and girlfriend expressed interest in filing a lawsuit against the inhaler company, but I'm not sure whatever happened. We lost touch.
The day I found out about Johnnie's death is a day I will never forget. You see, the night before, I had an incredibly vivid dream about a friend of mine dying. The friend in the dream was African American. (Johnnie was of white, black and Japanese decent)
I woke up crying at 2 a.m., calmed myself down, then shortly fell back asleep.
At work that day, May 22, I remembered the dream, and I was still so shaken by it. So - and this sounds corny but -I then contacted two good friends at work (both men were black) and told them about the dream. I also told a few girlfriends. I don't know why I felt compelled to do it. I've had plenty of bad dreams. But this one felt different. I felt like something bad could happen to somebody.
That afternoon I received a phone call from my mom. She said my ex-boyfriend, Rick, who I hadn't talked to since our breakup 10 years prior, had tracked down her work phone number. She said he needed to get in touch with me. So she gave me his phone number.
At that point, still thinking of my dream, I started shaking and I got a little knot in my stomach.
I knew what happened.
I quickly called him and he said, "Christi. One of our good friends died last night."
And I said, "No. No. Don't say Johnnie."
And he said, "It was Johnnie."
I dropped the phone and fell to the ground. I thought..."I had just had dinner with Johnnie 5 days before! This can't be happening."
My co-workers were such an incredible support. Linda, my boss at the time, drove me home and Kath, the manager of my department, gave me 2 days bereavement.
Losing a friend or family member is never easy. Losing them suddenly is simply the hardest thing you'll ever go through. And his poor mom. She lost her only son. I think of her so much on this day, especially now that I'm a mother. Johnnie was supposed to leave for Mexico for a guys trip the morning he died. His closest friends were at the airport when they received the news. Some of them still went on the vacation and some of them stayed. I can understand both sides.
Johnnie worked at BECU, he loved to play basketball, and he was a "Big Brother" a few days a week to 2 boys who lived in South Seattle. I often wonder how his death affected those boys - they were about 12 at the time and in desperate need for someone like Johnnie in their lives. In high school, EVERYONE loved Johnnie. You couldn't hate the guy. If anyone did, there was seriously something wrong with that person.
Miss you, Johnnie. Miss you every day.
1 comment:
What a very nice tribute to Johnnie. It's hard to believe it's been 7 years.
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