Shared the news yesterday of the tragic passing of my friend Anthony, in Stories. Have had a lot of loss lately – those I’ve grown up w, or gotten to know over the yrs.
This loss of Anthony hit really hard, bc of how giving he was. When I was in the throes of my 2.5 yrs of hell, my cousin (a HS basketball coach who has the gift of understanding how to uniquely motivate each individual), set me up w Anthony, as he knew his personality would be one I’d mesh with. It was a time when not many ppl or things were getting thru to me.
My cousin made a great match in this case. My rewards centers were frayed…interests were almost non existent…& I needed someone who was gonna be in my ear – rallying me.
I had my friend Stacie for the daily talks (have referenced her before), & she was my rock…but Anthony was one of those ppl where passion oozed out of him. He HAD at the time, what I had very little of: energy & a connection to his feelings.
Anthony had pulled of out a very tough period himself – the loss of his mom in 2009, at the age of only 57. It wasn’t lost on me that Anthony’s story wasn’t abt a disorder or a label…but instead a traumatic life event. It made his experience relatable. It made me understand the challenges he had to overcome.
If you’ve watched the weight loss shows where there’s a personal trainer in someone’s ear abt doing each exercise – Anthony was that way w me, for my mind. He was hellbent- believing in me, that I could pull out of this. After all, he had.
Then when I started to improve, & eventually formed SameHere, Anthony became emotional. “Bro, this is amazing. We’re going to be able to help so many ppl. I’m so happy bro.”
That was Anthony. And what eats away at me is – ppl who’ve been vulnerable FOR US, like this, I feel like should be given a pass to NEVER have to suffer again. Bearing their soul to help others should give them immunity.
But that’s not how it works :/. We all need each other. It’s often at diff times. Even the best ppl w the biggest hearts, struggle (often more than once). RIP Anthony.
