Messageboard friends - R.I.P.

[tigerbob]

I just found out that a friend of mine on another message board has died.

Scott was an elementary school music teacher and a rabid Tigers fan, Born in Michigan, he had lived in Florida for many years, but could frequently be found posting on the Detroit Tigers messageboard under the screen name tigersaint, particularly during game day threads.

I'm surprised that the death of someone I only knew online has affected me as much as it has. He didn't suffer fools gladly but was a really great guy, always fun to read and he wrote some very funny poetry about the Tigers.

Because messageboards are usually a private and remote activity, it is unusual to get news of something like this. We know other posters, but we don't know their families and therefore have often no way of knowing whether they just stopped posting or whether something more serious has happened.

I'm wondering whether anyone else has had an experience like this. I often wonder what happened when someone you used to read frequently just suddenly stops posting.

Anyway, R.I.P Scott Turnbull. I'll miss you.

 

[strollingbones]

yes i was on an excite board for a number of years...we lost 3 people....one was expected...a long illness....one went to the doctor for the flu...died two weeks later of liver problems....one dies in a car wreck...death is always a shock..and you do develop deep attachments to people even in cyberland

 

[tigerbob]

yes i was on an excite board for a number of years...we lost 3 people....one was expected...a long illness....one went to the doctor for the flu...died two weeks later of liver problems....one dies in a car wreck...death is always a shock..and you do develop deep attachments to people even in cyberland

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I know what you mean about finding out about sudden unexpected death of friends. A good friend of mine who lives in Virginia was killed in an auto accident over the last weekend. I just found out about it today. Talk about getting a shocking phone call...

 

[tigerbob]

I know what you mean about finding out about sudden unexpected death of friends. A good friend of mine who lives in Virginia was killed in an auto accident over the last weekend. I just found out about it today. Talk about getting a shocking phone call...

That's too bad. I'm sorry. That kind of thing just completely knocks you for a loop doesn't it?

 

[editec]

Yeah I think we lost three members of a cadre of posters who started out at Cartalk and the migrated to Cybersoapbox, too.

Two died of natural causes and one was beaten to death on the streets of some shithole town in the Southwest.

One of those posters was a fabulous writer whose contributions were sorely missed.

One was just a sweet guy who died from some long term illess.

The one who was beaten to death sounded like a lot of the tough guys we encounter on boards like these.

 

[xotoxi]

I'm sorry to hear about this.

 

[Mr. H.]

It's almost like losing a family member. Leaves a void in the cyber community.

 

[dilloduck]

live for today folks---tomorrow is guaranteed to no one

Sorry to hear about your loss !

 

[Xenophon]

Seen it a few times over the years, on several gaming boards.

Its odd to read their old posts knowing they aern't going to make another.

 

[tigerbob]

Seen it a few times over the years, on several gaming boards.

Its odd to read their old posts knowing they aern't going to make another.

It is odd. I've been going back over some of tigersaint's posts, both from this year and as far back as 2005. His last posts are only about 10 days before he died of complications arising from eye surgery, presumably related to diabetes.

He was 48. A lot of people on the messageboard changed their avatars to his for several weeks after he died, which was kinda nice.

You just never know, do you?

 

[Xenophon]

Message boards are unique in that they preserve things.

That was why I always posted the Yankee results in the baseball thread, so years from now I could go back and remmeber that season and teh ups and downs.

 

[DamnYankee]

Message boards are unique in that they preserve things.

That was why I always posted the Yankee results in the baseball thread, so years from now I could go back and remmeber that season and teh ups and downs.

Except on some boards that are routinely "purged" or periodically alter their format and lock-out access to those that are preserved. I've saved a rather large collection, but without a link to them, they're only good for personal reminiscing.

 

[Xenophon]

So it goes.

 

[Annie]

Tiger, I'm sorry for your loss. It is a loss. It's the same reason there's still a black band for Merlin here, he was a real presence here, way back when. It's a testament that there is still 'something' here. On the other hand, anyone worthy of such, is so much more lamented in real life.

 

[paperview]

My condolences to you, Tigerbob.


That was a moving tribute.

 

[brewerboy]

My father and I were both original members of another chat forum, after awhile, he became an Admin. When he passed, and I informed everyone, it seemed to hit the place hard (small forum).

The cool thing was that they all got together and sent flowers. It was pretty neat knowing the my dad meant that much to people that he had never met in person.

If you guys have the opportunity to do something like that, do it. It means a ton to the family.

 

[paperview]

My father and I were both original members of another chat forum, after awhile, he became an Admin. When he passed, and I informed everyone, it seemed to hit the place hard (small forum).

The cool thing was that they all got together and sent flowers. It was pretty neat knowing the my dad meant that much to people that he had never met in person.

If you guys have the opportunity to do something like that, do it. It means a ton to the family.

That was nice to read. Thank you.

 

[brewerboy]

Why thank you PV.

 

[Graybeard]

We lost a member from a board I am a member of. He had Leukemia and we followed his story from his initial diagnoses and treatments. His last post was a week before he passed. His wife PM'd a few of us and gave us the news.
Even now, I'll be searching for an earlier post and come across one of his threads, I always read them. On another board we lost a member suddenly to a heart attack, many of the members used his signature as theirs, many sent money to the administrator and he purchased flowers.