What? We're Not Immortal?

I got an e-mail yesterday that someone that Lynn and I went to high school with passed away from cancer.  His name was John Cullen.  He was a grade ahead of me.  I remember him as the real hottie in our school.  Someone reminded us today that he was totally crazy about Def Leppard. 

We went to a very small school--the American School in Madrid.  There were only about 40 or so of us in each grade, so we often had classes and hung out with people from all the other grades.  We basically knew everyone at least two grades above and below.  And, because there weren't THAT many Americans over there at the time, we knew each others' families.  I knew John's siblings Mike and Kim.

John was married with two kids.  He was just 42.  

One of the joys of Facebook has been finding all of these high school friends again.  After graduation, we scattered all over the globe and, for the most part, lost track of each other.  But on Facebook we've reconnected.  And we've realized that we share a really tight bond because no one else truly understands the truly unique experiences we had as teenage Americans in Madrid in the 80s.  It shaped us in so many ways that are hard to explain.  

And because when I talk to any of them or think about them, I'm reminded of high school.  And, of course, in high school we were invincible.  So, it is inconceivable that one of us is gone.  

Go with peace, John....