Ever had a coworker pass away?

I worked for 20 years at a major TV network, and in that time, I knew about a dozen people who passed, including a former boss, and one customer service person who actually died at her desk during the workday.

Earlier this week, a former co-worker, who had been there for 40 years and won several Emmys, died just short of his 67th birthday in May, when he would have retired. That was really sad.
They gave him a nice shout-out on a sports show last week.

It's so difficult to lose someone you worked with. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Carla · 61-69, F

I once had a roofing sub contractor that roofed many of the homes i built. His timing and quality declined and i was forced to fire him. That very evening, he went home and killed his wife, his child and himself.
That just about wrecked me.

uncalled4 · 56-60, M

@Carla I'm so sorry.

Carla · 61-69, F

Thank you,@uncalled4. It was 1988, a lifetime ago.
I am sorry for your loss.
It's sad that we are at that time in our lives when we start to lose so many that have, in some way, touched us.

GeniUs · 56-60, M

@Carla This IMO is why people should plan for and accept retirement in a timely manner. If the employee was a young man he should've looked for medical treatment.

LunarOrbit · 61-69, M

@Carla Oh wow. So sorry. :/

Carla · 61-69, F

@GeniUs he was not yet to middle age. Obviously he had issues.

LunarOrbit · 61-69, M

@Carla We’ll never know what pushed them over the edge. Unfortunately its what they wanted. :/

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Carla one of the nurses who worked in my program was a brittle diabetic, and depressed. We tried so hard to accommodate her needs, but she committed suicide. It was so horrible.