"Long time listener, first time caller." I have been reading this forum off and on for the last few years. I came upon it when looking for updates relating to the investigation of 111. First I would like to offer my sincere condolences to those with family and friends on the flight, as well as to those who were part of the recovery efforts who have obviously been affected to this day. What a tragedy.

A friend of mine was one of those to perish in the crash. I think of him, particularly in relation to the way he died, at least a couple of times a week. I too shudder at the thought. Every time I am on a plane I grip the arm rests and think about the terror. I think about how he was known among friends to be the funniest, the nicest and the weirdest of the bunch. I remember his memorial service, since they were unable to recover his remains for months, and how we all both laughed and cried and noted how people who barely knew him were some of the first to do a eulogy or get in front of a television camera. Man... seems like yesterday and yet also seems like a lifetime ago. I also remember his funeral, several months later, and staring at the casket, imagining all the empty space inside of it. I remember that a few weeks before he left he was at our house playing board games with us, a little tipsy, and how he challenged the group (who were/are mostly atheists and agnostics) by individually pointing to each of us and asking, "Do you know where you are going when you die?" Most of us said no, but he said yes and smiled. Only he could do this without making anyone in the room feel uncomfortable, because he was so comfortable with his position and so charismatic with his approach. In hindsight, if that moment were in a movie it would have been a bit of foreshadowing. I like to think that he is now where he always knew he would be, and that he was able to comfort those around him in the moments preceding the crash in a way only he could. He was actually on his way to a long mission trip, and perhaps his mission was to be a friend to someone who needed one at that moment. Who knows.

Anyway, this is me being a windbag and entering reflection mode. Apologies. Sometimes I feel selfish by thinking about him in private, as we were not best friends nor close friends, but merely friends. But I think about him and the strangeness of life and death just the same. I am glad this forum exists even 9 1/2 years later and thank the creators for making it happen and updating with relevant information.

Love to you all,
A Friend

Friend, I am so glad you wrote. It's nice to hear that people continue to follow this site. I feel it's very important to keep the site updated. Thanks so much for letting me know that you visit here. I'm so very sorry about your friend. I really appreciate your post, and hope you will come back again.

Take care,

Barbara