I extend my sincerest condolences to...

[ig.]

Everyone. Forever.

Consider the grim duty of this thread a measure of penance for my dubious "fun" in some death-related threads which shall remain nameless. This thread is for you to offer your sincerest well-wishes and condolences to anyone who has passed on. Celebrities, family members, friends, pets...let this thread be your one-post and hopefully drama-free stop for comfort and offerings of sympathy from your fellow VAA members in your time of mourning.

Today is an especially hard day, as we've lost two celebrities that I grew up knowing their names - The beautiful Farrah Fawcett, who succumbed to a battle with cancer, and The King of Pop Michael Jackson, who - in spite what you may think of him personally - entertained countless people around the world with a meteoric and ultimately tulmultuous career.

To paraphrase a eulogy from the late Phil Hartman:

The flame of life that burns inside of us
burns no less brightly when it is but the flicker of one tiny candle.
None can deny that your departure has left the world a tiny bit darker
and a tiny bit colder.

A couple of websites pertaining to the grieving process and awareness of suicide prevention:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminstration's overview on Grief: Though a mere drop in the ocean that is the subject of coping with loss, it details the psychology of grief in an approachable manner and links to a variety of more specialized sites.

SAVE.org - Suicide Awareness Voices of Education: The best way to avoid tragedy is to prevent it. This comprehensive site goes a long way towards indentifying the signs of clinical depression, and assists in raiseing your own awareness of anyone in your circles who may be suffering. I think it's safe to say that, despite the somber nature of this thread, it would be that much less so if we never experienced the inherent tragedy of the word "suicide" included in any replies therein.

[Kuro]

It does seem like we've been losing a lot lately...trying times indeed. I still don't know how I feel about it. These were people that helped forge the man I am today. I grew up listening to the King of Pop and watching Charlies Angels.

And heck...who didn't love Ed McMahon? Seems like there is almost a passing of the guard from the older generation of celebrities as they fade away into history to the new folks. People that grew up inspired by them. Heck you can't watch an Usher video without seeing how Jackson influenced him.

[kateit]

three threads and i still haven't had the chance to write "rest in peace" to my favorite artist/musician

rip michael jackson and also farrah fawcett and that other guy

edit: and steve irwin god damnit

[GeneralIvan]

Phil Hartman was the greater of the two.

[McTricky]

I extend my sincerest condolences to my ex-girlfriend's mom. She died of...actually I've yet to ask her what she died from, but she died from a horrible illness. My ex and I attended her funeral, and it was a bad day enough without having to hear about celeb deaths D;

[veebee]

Regardless of what you think of the man, I think Michael Jackson was set up for disaster, and I'm not just saying that because he was born into stardom (although I'm sure that had something to do with it as well). He had too much power and influence for a minority, so someone had to hate on a brutha and put his career to bed! And as some of us know, those who have a strong positive influence on people, will, in one way or another, get fucked over: Gandhi, JFK, MLK, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee, Honest Abe, Tupac Shakur, Jesus, Princess Diana, hell, let's throw Heath Ledger up in there! I mean, what the fuck, they couldn't spare us one? No wonder why they say "the revolution will not be televised," because everyone who appeared on one is dead!

I don't want to make excuses for him, but I feel like Michael was used and abused, making him the victim. Just as fast as he became famous; he became a "disgusting pedophile" (who was never convicted by the way, but no one seems to care about that), only to be shunned by his once beloved fans, and from that point on, the King of Pop was known as the Dunce of Pedoland Ranch. So not only is his name soiled, the man can no longer defend himself. Sad, sick, tragic, unbelievable, abomination, call it whatever you want, this story has no happy ending.

R.I.P. MJ (1958 – 2009)
Maybe one day you'll be recognized for doing some good for the world.

[Mizu_Takishima]

I agree with VoiceBox ;__;

Also, thank you ig, for making this thread. I'm sure it'll be full of lots of hugs for anyone who's lost a loved one for a long time


R.I.P...

Michael Jackson

Farrah Fawcett

Steve Irwin

and anyone else that I've never got to say goodbye to, but always wanted to.

[ig.]

I extend my sincerest condolences to my ex-girlfriend's mom. She died of...actually I've yet to ask her what she died from, but she died from a horrible illness. My ex and I attended her funeral, and it was a bad day enough without having to hear about celeb deaths D;

Though this thread will most likely be punctuated with sendoffs to celebrities who have left us, just this once I'd like to call attention to and offer my sympathy for your personal loss. My heart goes out to you in your time of mourning.

Legacies and lasting impressions aside, the deaths of our loved ones is the great equalizer - it's a numbing and lingering and answerless pain we are all fated to feel. The advantage is that, in life, we may share our pain and hopes. We cal also take comfort that, wherever she may be, it's a place where the illness can no longer assail her.

Feel better.

[veebee]

Now that I got MJ out of the way, I'd like to say RIP to my friend Timmy (aka T-LocC) who commited suicide around the same time last year because of "stress issues". My condolences go out to the Doak family. And RIP to my classmate Marcus who recently shot himself this year, reason unknown.

Seriously, if someone has ever had thoughts of suicide, please tell someone you love so they can talk you out of it, life is too precious. I've seen too many cases of people who want to die before they even give themselves a chance to live. Suicide is not the answer to any of your problems.

R.I.P.

Timmy Doak (1988-2008 )
Marcus (1989-2009)

[kateit]

voicebox: thank you! i agree. just because a child says somebody ~*~touched them~*~* does not make it true (i have personally been through a similar situation). i don't think that michael jackson did anything wrong; i think he was just a very kind-hearted man and that kindness was unfortunately taken advantage of. hopefully all of the retarded rumors can be put aside and mj can rest in peace