Another loss

Ten short days after Lizzy's death, another friend (not as close), Alex, also from my Burning Man community of friends, also have known since 2006, also died.

What is going on?

The story is strange. I saw a FB post on Sunday that a missing persons report was given to the police because he had been missing since last Friday. The police found his car in Largo, FL but not him.

Later I found out that he went to a friend's house, and the 2 friends left to go to the store and when they returned, he was dead.

Fishy.

An investigation is being conducted by the PD, but various stories are flying around. None of them suicide, as he was a very successful artist in Miami, and was recently offered a huge art deal that he was really excited about and told a friend that he was "living the dream".

Others say it was drug addiction. That he overdosed. Then there's an article in the newspaper that 15 people died in that county due to a certain drug (forget what it is) that is lethal but people don't know it and they take it and die. Then others suspect foul play/murder.

I don't know the truth, but I don't care. The end result is the same: he is no longer. He was one of the first Burners I met, and my first time to the Burn I joined his theme camp, called PlayaQ, where he set up a huge tent structure and flew gourmet chefs in from around the country to provide a 12 course meal for free to all who attended (and out in the desert, any kind of food is appreciated so this was extraordinary). People were assigned to feet washing, massaging shoulders (I did that!), and my ex-husband did body painting on people. Then we got to eat whatever was leftover afterward. It was an interesting experience. Alex (aka Soss Boss), did this for several years at the event. We also attended many of the regional and local FL events together. He spent the night at our house in fact.

Here's the interesting thing... a few days before Lizzy's Memorial Service on Saturday, a poem was written in her memory, and was also being inscribed on a plaque. We were told that the author wanted to remain anonymous. The day after Alex's death, we discovered he wrote it (as, he was also close with Lizzy).

Such a sad, sad turn of events lately. But at least she has a friend up there, now, as does he. May they both rest in peace.