A kid who interned at my son's summer camp died today...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

Complications of a stroke he suffered at a later session of the camp than the one my son attended.
It's so bizarre...
He was there the first day, when I signed my son in. The kid took him up to his group. Mostly he worked with the youngest campers. That's got to be tough for them to understand. Hell, it's tough for me to understand...a stroke, in someone so young and energetic. :cry:

[Left Is Write]

1. That's awful! I'm sorry.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. His parents must be in hell...

I can't even imagine...

[Shine]

3. Oh, that's so tragic!!

:( I'm sorry, honey. :hug: It's hard when they're so young.....

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. High school junior...

I wonder what could have caused it...

Thanks for the hug. :hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear GoddessOfGuinness...

Oh, that's awful...

So damn young...

Safe passage to him...

Hugs to you, his family, and all who knew and loved him...:hug: :hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. ...

:hug: Thanks Peggy... :hug:

[Kutjara]

5. What a terrible tragedy.

Because he was so young, it was probably an ateriovenous malformation that caused the stroke. It's the leading cause of strokes under 40, and is the result of a congenital defect, where one or more arteries and veins connect directly to each other in the brain (instead of via capillaries). This causes high pressure blood from the arteries to directly enter the low pressure veins, placing enormous stress on the vein walls. Sooner or later, something's got to give.

Anyone with a close relative who suffered a stroke at a young age should talk to their doctor about their risk of having this malformation, because it can run in families.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Thanks for this info...

I hope others will read it. It could save lives and much heartache. :hug::hug::hug:

[UrbScotty]

9. Oh dear. Unbelievable.

I cannot imagine how those closest to him must be feeling.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. Me either...

It's got to be devastating.

I was thinking about asking my son to write about his memories of the kid while he was there. He didn't know him well, but maybe his family would appreciate knowing how their son touched the lives of so many children.

[UrbScotty]

11. I would just have him send a sympathy card or note

...saying that he went to that camp and that he is sorry for their loss. Even something like that might offer a little comfort.

[u4ic]

12. Terribly sad

:(

My heart goes out to the loved ones he leaves behind. :grouphug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

15. The kids loved him and he loved them...

His parents said they were glad his last days in good health were spent doing what he loved most...working with kids.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. My 8 yo is convinced that people die according to their age and therefore he

is gonna outlive everyone in our family. It just doesn't occur to him that kids and young people die too.

I can hardly believe this young man died of a stroke of all things. I know it's going to be so hard for all those kids to understand this and work towards an acceptance of it. :(

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Check out Kutjara's post above...

Kids often view themselves as indestructable. My older boy is like that. My youngest is just the opposite. :hug:

[av8rdave]

14. That is so terrible....I'm sorry to hear about it

Hope your son is coping OK.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. He's fine...

He didn't know the kid that well, so while he's saddened by the boy's death, he doesn't have a lot of emotions invested in it.