Friend died yesterday ... Spooky

bbhero

bbhero

Joined
Mar 20, 2015
Messages
11,504
Location
Virginia
Had a friend die from a very large tree branch breaking and falling on to his car yesterday afternoon. Killed him instantly. Storm came through with winds 40-50 mph.

I saw a very large tree branch high up in a tree on a road near me... In January.

I told my lady that could easily kill someone if it falls on to a car. And it did happen. His older daughter was in the car with him and she survived with only minor injuries. She was trying to lift that thousands of pound tree limb off her father... She's very, very distraught. He also leaves behind a 3 year old girl.

His own father had just passed away 2 days ago. So her grandfather and father died just 2 days apart.

Brutal.

I see things and notice things around me. I wonder if anyone else did that here. Did they see that dead large branch and tell anyone about it ? This road is a major road into Williamsburg. It was clearly hanging there in the tree very close by the northbound lane heading into town.

I really, really wish I had said something to someone about my concern.

My wife said that in all likelihood other people had noticed and had likely told someone about that tree... She's probably right. . I guess. Makes sense I think.

I am very, very weather aware as you all know. . I am also very observant of surroundings and potential safety concerns. Just think I should have done more here.. .

Sometimes in life... You wish you were wrong about something.

In this case that is exceptionally true.

Be careful out there my friends on here.

RIP my friend... I greatly enjoyed my times with you...
 
That's too bad. Sorry for the loss of your friend. But I understand what you're talking about. Back when I lived in the Midwest, there were trees everywhere. On one road in particular near me was literally like driving through a tunnel. The entire road was covered. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

But the people who live there like it. Huge tree trunks along both sides of the road. And big, heavy overhanging branches everywhere. And this road was lined on both sides with multi million dollar homes. Several times after severe thunderstorms with high winds the road was impassable due to fallen branches. It's only a matter of time before the inevitable happens.

Out here it's flash floods. Every year it gets people. In spite of the constant warnings to not drive through running washes. Being retired, I don't go anywhere in bad weather. It's just not worth the risk. There is nothing that important to force me to go out in it.
 
I really appreciate that SR5...

And you are right about how I need to be with the family.
 
This is a sad story and I offer my condolences. Two Fort Benning soldiers were also killed on Tuesday during a storm when a tree fell on them. They were doing Ranger training on Yonah mountain near Dahlonega, Ga. Five were injured but two succumbed from their injuries.

Strange things happen and we can never explain why but somewhere in the insanity is a master plan that I believe will be revealed to us at some point.
 
Sad story, sorry to hear it. I can’t imagine the horror scene of trying to lift a branch off of someone.

Years ago my wife and I were driving someplace with another couple, and a telephone pole literally snapped in half and bounced on the roof. Perfectly perpendicular to the vehicle. A box truck on a perpendicular street snagged a wire, and the thing pulled and the pole was the weakest link. I think about that now and again - what if it wAs a fraction of. A second earlier, and it hit the windshield or a pillar instead of the roof? Scary stuff.

Freak situations are worse because they’re random and unexpected. And it’s so terrible when something like this happens.

Condolences to you and to the family.
 
That's a sad spooky story for sure.

Short true story; Once at Camp Lejeune on a training mission I was in the rear seat of a Hummvee. The radio was on the floor and I had to straddle it. The whip antenna was extended about 6' out the window next to me. It began to thunder and lots of lightning. I asked the driver to stop so I could uncouple and fold the antenna into the vehicle. After doing that about two minutes later a huge lightning bolt hit a pine tree directly next to the vehicle. It rained charred matchstick sized pine tree all over the Humvee. If that antenna were still extended it would have attracted the bolt and fried my jewels.

The Marines have an expression, Sheet Happens. Yeah, be aware of Wx.

humvee.jpg
 
bbhero said:
Did they see that dead large branch and tell anyone about it ? This road is a major road into Williamsburg. It was clearly hanging there in the tree very close by the northbound lane heading into town.
Click to expand...

Who would deal with it? VDOT? Eventually they might get around to it.

VDOT seems to operate with all of the speed and efficiency of a garden slug on Quaaludes.
 
I have had friends die from disease , plane and motor vehicle wrecks and [old age] it is always sad. I miss them. Parents and grand parents and Aunties and uncles hurt the most.
 
Used to have a 5 story tall big tree not sure if it is red wood or something next to my parents building. We always wonder if it will fall but if we just cut it down will we get fined or protest from literally tree huggers. During storms some branches would swing and whack the building, we had to catch it and trim it real time.

Finally a medium sized branch fell into the neighbors yard and they complained. We told them to write us a formal letter so we use that opportunity to chop it down.

Took one guy a while, climb up with a chainsaw and some ropes, to each branch tied down a small chunk then cut, lower, repeat. Cost 3k back in 90s.

Glad it is gone before it could have hurt or killed someone.
 
Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. :( Very bizarre circumstances for sure.

Certainly there are no guarantees and every day truly is a gift. Yesterday we had a 46 year old co-worker literally suddenly drop dead of a widowmaker heart attack. No warning.
 
FowVay said:
This is a sad story and I offer my condolences. Two Fort Benning soldiers were also killed on Tuesday during a storm when a tree fell on them. They were doing Ranger training on Yonah mountain near Dahlonega, Ga. Five were injured but two succumbed from their injuries.

Strange things happen and we can never explain why but somewhere in the insanity is a master plan that I believe will be revealed to us at some point.
Click to expand...

I was going to post that, unfortunately things happen without warning.
 
Sometimes I see limbs ready to fall in my own yard. If they landed end first on your head they'd probably kill you. And of course like everyone else I see fallen limbs in my yard. I think it's one of those things we sort of forgot about as we developed the world. The hazards of nature.
 
brianl703 said:
Who would deal with it? VDOT? Eventually they might get around to it.

VDOT seems to operate with all of the speed and efficiency of a garden slug on Quaaludes.
Click to expand...


That's the question I have Brian...

Is or was that tree within the easement of the highway??

If so... Yeah that's a VDOT problem.

If not. . . It's obviously a private property issue.

I need to drive there and see how close that tree was. I remember it being rather close... Aka within 12 feet or so of Jamestown Rd.
 
wpod said:
I have had friends die from disease , plane and motor vehicle wrecks and [old age] it is always sad. I miss them. Parents and grand parents and Aunties and uncles hurt the most.
Click to expand...


True indeed CT8...


I have lost many family members... Including my father.

I have seen and helped many people pass away from this world myself... I have had to pronounce people has dead while working at the high end retirement center... That was a strange feeling...

I have tried to be the man I need to be and should be.

I cared for them like they were my own.
Grandmothers, grandfathers, mother's or fathers of others.... I treated them like they were my own.
 
ARCOgraphite said:
I am sorry for the loss of your friend. I lost a good friend to cancer last Fall. We used to chat all the time.
The loss changed me in some ways I cant explain. But I carry on, and I still chat with him in my own way.
Click to expand...


I do the same Ken...

Lost my best friend in 2012...

Changed me too. And I do like you do... I think of him and try to talk to him to in my own way.
 
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