How do you say goodbye to a friend?

Monday morning, at 11:05 am, Don Rothschild left this life in search of his next adventure. Two weeks prior he suffered two massive strokes that severely damaged his brain. He was 6 days shy of his 59th birthday. His family, in a very loving act, decided to discontinue life support. He died about six days after they did so. It was clear that their primary concern was Don's comfort. He was moved to a palliative care unit, disconnected from the ventilator and provided continuous pain relief and oxygen to make him comfortable. I envision Don enjoying the continuous morphine drip and quietly letting go from this earthly life.

I did not know Don well at all. I think I met him for the first time at the 4th of July picnic. He was my husband's friend, a new friend at that. Don joined Tom's band, Beyond the Blues, earlier this year as a keyboard player. He added a certain "je ne sais quoi" to the group. Every Sunday, Don would drive to Novato and he and Tom would then drive up to their studio in Santa Rosa. Throughout the summer he and Tom started to get to know each other. They would golf together and sometimes I would meet them for dinner at the Club after they finished playing. At that picnic where I first met Don, another of the band's member had recorded a rehersal. It was the first time I had heard them play. It was clear that Don could rock the piano.

Don had an interesting outlook on life. He also had a very dry sense of humor. He could make me laugh. He could also set my teeth on edge. But that was the essence of Don. Many of his friends in the fellowship have talked about him, people who knew him better, who supported him during his struggles. In fellowship language, he died clean. That is a miracle, and a tragedy that he had to leave us now. When one enters middle age, finding and building friendships is much more difficult. Don and Tom were building a friendship that Tom enjoyed, and is going to miss.

He will be missed by so many. The members of Beyond the Blues will miss his musical contributions, and as Pat would say, his chops for the music. His friends and family will miss everything about him. And Tom will miss the opportunity to build that deeper friendship with him. I will miss him too, and the opportunity to get to know him better.

Travel well my friend. We will all meet again and you can tell us your stories as only you can.