One of the saddest and most shocking …
Posted on November 23, 2015 by Robert Ringer
One of the saddest and most shocking stories I’ve heard about in a long time is that former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie lost both of his parents last week — on the same day.
His father, who had been ill, died of a heart attack on November 18. Incredibly, less than an hour later, his mother died of a heart attack as well.
Flutie’s assessment of this unthinkable tragedy was simple but poignant: “They say you can die of a broken heart, and I believe it.” It instinctively made me want to give both of my parents a big hug, but that option ceased to exist a long time ago.
Which is a reminder that nothing is more important in life than telling your parents, your spouse, and your children, while they’re still alive, that you love them — and showing it through your actions.
Sadly, notwithstanding his fame and fortune, Flutie has had more than his share of heartbreaks as a result of his son’s autism. Anyone who has ever had a child with a serious disability can identify with the challenge that he and his wife have had to deal with for more than twenty years.
When you discover that you have a disabled child, your whole life changes overnight. And perhaps the biggest change is having to live with the question: “What happens to our child after we’re gone?”
Tragedy knows no socio-economic boundaries. Which is why I try to constantly remind myself how lucky I am for all the good things I have — and, just as important, all the bad things that I don’t have.
