Gone Too Soon

[annuin]

R.I.P. Merijn Van Wezel





I just got word from a friend back home that Merijn died yesterday. I've known Merijn for most of my life. His mother and mine are second cousins, his eldest brother and I are only months apart, shared a crib together as babies and were good friends over the years. His second oldest brother, and mine, were best friends all through childhood. I didn't know him that particularly well, and I haven't seen him in a few years, but he was a really nice guy.

And so this afternoon an email from a family friend, and neighbour of him and his parents. Merijn had an accident while on holiday in Italy. He went out for a walk with his girlfriend in the afternoon, she returned earlier and he wanted to stay out a bit longer. When he didn't come back after a couple of hours the alarm was sounded, and they searched until dark. He was found Monday morning. He'd fallen 20 meters into a ravine, leaving him unrecognisable. He'll be brought home at the end of the week to be buried at the small local cemetary in my home town.

Comments

[morteamour.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry to hear that, Lil. If you need anything, you know where to find me. *hugs*

[crimzonroze.livejournal.com]

omg...I'm so sorry sweetie. I'll keep you and his family in my prayers.

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I appreciate it, though I think his family needs it a lot more than I do.

I have enough distance from it, because I didn't know him *that* well, but for them it's devastating, as they're also a close knit family.

It's just weird when one of the threads from the tapestry of your life gets broken off so abruptly, especially when it's someone who's just been kind of an intrinsic part of your childhood experience, even if it wasn't someone who I had lots of discourse with, being that I usually hung out with his eldest brother and we were seperated by a (for kids/teens) gap in age. It leaves a small but visible hole.

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks *hug*

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

That's awful :(

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

I know... I couldn't believe it when I read the email this afternoon. You can kind of fathom things like traffic accidents, because I guess we've become accustomed to the reality of those... but something like this, a freak tragic accident is just hard for me to wrap my brain around. The question of "how?" just plays through the mind often.

[thetragicclown.livejournal.com]

My sincerest condolences. :(

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that means a lot.

[sublimecontessa.livejournal.com]

Oh my. I'm so sorry to hear. Good vibes from me. :'(

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[darktor.livejournal.com]

oy.... and I imagine a horrific experience for his girlfriend as well.

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

I can only imagine what's running through her head... the what-ifs, like what if she hadn't gone back after an hour and left him to keep walking by himself, what if she'd forced him to come back with her etc. It must be so hard to try and work through those kinds of feelings, guilt. I never met her, but I feel for her so very much in this particular regard.

It's so sad, and so horrific and needless. And it's one of those cases of a good person going young. He was always a really sweet kid. Grew up fairly dorky, but friendly, polite, nice etc. A lovely human being who didn't deserve to be ripped from the planet in such an untimely manner.

I only hope that it was over quickly for him. Apparantly his face was smashed very badly, and they've refused to let people see him as he is now. If his parents and those left behind never manage to have the answers as to how or why it happened, I hope they have the solace of knowing his death was instantaneous or fast.

[lillie-nyte.livejournal.com]

That's so sad... my condolences...

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks

[lafemmedelalune.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear about this untimely loss.

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Thanks

[http://users.livejournal.com/_slowfuck_/]

I'm so sorry to reply at this after almost 4 months, I mean, I can imagine that you're not waiting for any reaction after those months
But..
I was searching on Google, because I was wondering if the condoleance-register (@Woestehoeve) was online, but it isn't. I run into your Livejournal via your site (Silent Garden) and OMG..
I didn't expect to find someone on LJ who knew Merijn..
How are you doing right now? Are you okay?

-Hug-
from someone you don't know


and sorry again for the reaction, I just.. I just felt like responding somehow

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

and sorry again for the reaction, I just.. I just felt like responding somehow

Geeft niet :)

Met mij is het goed, life goes on enz., Thanksgiving al bijn op de proppen.

Wel interessant inderdaad om nog iemand tegen te komen die Merijn kende op LJ. Mag ik vragen waar je hem van kende?

Ik zie ook al weer dat het een kleine wereld is... jij hebt czk op je friends list, wat dus de vriendin is van een online vriend van mij :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_slowfuck_/]

lang lang lang verhaal :) en dat begon ooit met 1 luttel emailtje :P
ken 'm nu imiddels 5 jaar.
Jij was niet op de begrafenis of de afscheidsborrel denk k?

inderdaad wel weer grappig klein wereldje :)

[tanthe.livejournal.com]

Nee, ik was daar niet aanwezig, voornamelijk omdat ik in de VS woon op het moment. Ik ben sinds October 2001 niet in het kikkerlandje geweest.

Mijn broer Willem was er wel, op de begrafenis in ieder geval. Geen idee of hij op de borrel was.