Death Too Young

The first time I took D2 to my office, she was probably about 9 or 10, and she met Mirta, our then receptionist. D2 noticed she had the same last name as one of her classmates at school, and asked Mirta if she was related to Brian. Indeed -- he was her nephew.

Somehow those little kids became adults. Brian, always a sweet kid, married his high school girlfriend and they moved to Orlando, where Brian moved up in management in several restaurants.  The couple had two kids -- now 2 and 4.

I last saw Brian several years ago, at his father's funeral. His Dad literally dropped dead in his kitchen. Wifey and I went to the wake, and I marveled at how the little boy I remembered had become a grown man.

Last year, Brian called -- he and his wife were in an auto wreck -- could I refer him to a lawyer in Orlando? I did -- to a friend also named Brian -- though I don't think the case went anywhere. And then Brian and his family moved home, to Miami, where Brian resumed work in the restaurant business.

In late April, he got sick. Everyone feared it was covid. Turned out much worse, as a healthy 28 year old would likely have licked covid like the flu. Brian was diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia, and went right away into Baptist Hospital to begin chemotherapy. With covid afoot, the docs kept him in patient for 5 weeks -- lest he get sick while under treatment.

It was terrible. His wife and kids weren't allowed to visit during the time of this damned plague. Brian soldiered on, though, and by this week things seemed better. He was discharged from the hospital, and got to be with his beloved family.

But then he got very sick -- fever and a bad sore throat. He went back to Baptist, where they diagnosed strep throat. Brian was very vulnerable to infection -- he was on the list for a bone marrow transplant -- a lifesaving procedure for the type of leukemia he had.

It was not to be. Brian died in the ICU early yesterday morning. He was 28. Mirta called me early, which is usually a sign of trouble -- she and I tend to speak later in the day. She was in shock. She was very close to Brian and his two brothers.

A few minutes after I got the call, it sunk in to me, too. Though we're living in a time of so much death -- Brian passing at 28 was a shot to the gut.  I wish for peace for his family. As Mirta said, the saddest thing is the 4 year old will barely remember him, and the 2 year old won't at all. Just awful.

On a much happier note, this afternoon my brother Barry is presiding over his last Pediatric Resident graduation. He has been the boss of the program for 18 years, and this year transitioned the job to a very smart protege of his, a Colombiana named Monica.

I still remember when he got the position. He called and said he needed to speak about something important -- could we meet at Fox's? I was worried. Turns out, he was offered, at a very young age, this very crucial position. Should he take it? Of course he should, and did, and gave so much of himself for nearly 2 decades -- literally producing hundreds of docs to care for children throughout the world.

I'm indescribably proud of him. Because of covid, the final ceremony is online, instead of at a nice hotel as it typically is. I went one year -- the year the Miami Heat lost their first NBA Finals. A lot of us guests ran to the hotel bar to watch the game.

I got the Zoom link and plan to watch this afternoon -- a lovely swan song for a great man and his great work.

So viva Barry! And as for Brian -- may his memory be a blessing to all of his friends and family.