Sean was a unicyclist, and one of my virtual FB friends who I'd never met - I think he was the first person I've never met who I became friends with on FB (he lives in Chicago). He was only a bit older than me and had a family and kids. I've enjoyed chatting with him and felt like I'd got to know him a bit. It all feels quite a shock - when I first saw a post earlier on his page from somebody about having lost somebody i didn't make the connection and assumed it must be somebody different. I was going to say I felt closer to him than anybody I didn't know in real life, but actually I probably felt closer to him than some people I've met.
I may be putting 2 and 2 together to make 5, but it seems he killed himself. I guess I wasn't that close, but I had no idea, he always seemed so incredibly upbeat 🙁
Sorry for your loss. Internet friends are a modern day curve ball, I'm meeting someone in a few days (in Chicago) who I've never met before but have woken to for like nineteen years. I'll raise a glass for you tomorrow.
Sorry to hear that. You may have known him better than you think. People are very good at hiding things.
Happened to me also. Am a somewhat infrequent visitor to a bonsai forum and logged on one day to find one of the guys in there had died.
He had been a true mentor to many of the members and was clearly an incredibly talented bonsai artist who gave his time very freely to help others.
Was really quite upset when I found out.
Sorry to hear of your loss - you're right it does feel kind of odd morning someone you didn't actually ever meet.
Sorry to hear that aracer. I have a couple of FB friends that I feel close to despite never having met them
but it seems he killed himself. I guess I wasn't that close, but I had no idea, he always [b]seemed [/b]so incredibly upbeat
They often do, putting on 'the act' is something people can become very good at, and the burden of doing so can in itself be a terrible thing to bear.
Internet friends are as real and important as any others, the connections you build are to the person, not necessarily their physical presence.
Sorry for your loss aracer 🙁
I think it is a phenomenon of the times we live in. I was really upset by the death of a guy I used to chat a hills forum, even though I didn't know him and had only spoken to him on an internet site. This is only the modern digital version of something that has always gone on. I think it is natural to form a friendship with like minded individuals and to mourn their passing is natural.