SeaniBu said:
Very sad, he was a talented Bass player, and the girls just swooned for him but he ... well I can only say it one way. I went down that path to start with him, I and others chose to stop. He didn't.
Sad news of this friend I was referring to on this thread.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...ning/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City/Region+News
I feel bad that I did say anything negative about him, but the things apparently caught up to him. Some of the things in this article are more embellished and the story of him trying to overcome was always a constant, and most of "us friends" felt he went away because people didn't know him and he could hide this more - our knowledge there was no "girlfriend." But his Mom and brother were told this the first time he went east. But we all hoped that somehow his Drinking would change.
Although I can't believe (and not many of us do) he was ever sober for more then a couple of months - we knew he wished he could be "clean" but he would say that he felt like it would always beat him - he threw in the towel to the addiction and let it in."You have got to believe in yourself Randy, you are the only one that can overcome this." We wouldn't even drink around him, our comments and everything were purely faithful. Even when he failed, "you've beaten it before, you can do it again." He must have hoped that a different state or someone else could help him. But it seemed good that around here all the liquor stores knew him and would not sell to him. That seemed like it was a step in the right direction, and although he said what he did about why he wanted to go, it was hard from experience to believe that was really why - maybe there was a "girlfriend" or that was his way of communicating his addiction. We always showed him we had faith in his ability and decisions. I seems like no matter how much he loved people and gave good advice, he didn't love himself, or want to / or was able to take his own advice.
It is hard for me to think of him now as gone, and I picture him swimming there and coming to a point where he wanted to rely on himself and gave in. I feel like I wish I could have been there because I know him well enough to pay close attention to him and give encouragement, he unfortunately didn't have the strength alone. I think we all believe that we could have encouraged him across, kept him from drinking at least as much as he probably did that night, if not other things. At least we all knew to pay closer attention to him, particularly when he would say I just want to be alone.
Anyway Randy, no matter how hurt I felt by your actions,
I love and miss you! I hope you found that peace. "I'll keep the faith brother."
