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  1. larryganz The cable guy Sep 23, 2020

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    I took a break from the forums for a few weeks to deal with a family tragedy - my younger brother Izzy died unexpectedly from a brain tumor last month.

    He was having headaches for a few months, but didn’t want to go to the VA Hospital clinic in Arizona while the state was a CoVid-19 hotspot. He finally went to the ER when it was bad enough to make him cry and writhe on the floor. They found a metastatic brain tumor, possibly spread there from a recurrence of testicular cancer (initially thought cured 25 yr ago). He was dead within a week. Due to the pandemic and my chronic lung disease, I never made it down there to see him.

    This is the brother to whom I was always gifting watches, such as a low production number blue Commander 300 (Watchuseek crowdsourced watch) to match my black version, or a green Divemaster 500 to match my red version, and the Scurfa Diver One LE PVD black that I bought here through an Omega Forums “bake sale” to help an injured forum member. My brother died in his sleep with the Scurfa on his wrist.

    I’d given him about 15 watches in the past 10 years; and my son even gave him the Ti Citizen perpetual calendar that we gave our son for becoming an Eagle Scout 7 years ago - gifted to my brother after my son got a new X-33 Skywalker for his high school graduation 4 years ago.

    It seems like every day I go to pick up the phone to talk to my brother about life, work, family, watches, cars, guns, knives, and cooking, only to remember that he is gone.

    I’ll always regret not giving him that extra Planet Ocean or Seamaster Pro that I didn’t wear for a couple of years. He always struggled for money and I was worried he’d sell it to pay bills, and so I’d send him a cheaper watch + cash to help him out. The special watch would just have to wait until his finances were more stable, so I thought.

    But I always thought I’d have a chance to see the joy on his face when he’d finally get “that special watch”. The next one was going to be either my Hamilton GMT, or the Oris “Movember LE” Diver that I won here in a raffle. Still, those were not super-special. My son had instructions to give my brother one of my Rolex should I die first - something we expected due to my chronic lung disease and his relatively better health.

    Among his personal effects was every single watch that I ever gave him - he kept them all, including a 112 yr old Hamilton pocket watch, a few Citizen, Orient, Seiko, and Victorinox watches, along with the Commander 300 and Scurfa Diver One, and of course the Citizen my son got as an Eagle Scout reward. I shared half of the watch collection with his best friends, and kept the sentimental ones that he loved so much. I want to make sure my son keeps them in the family.

    I also have a Ti Victorinox chronograph that he gave me years ago as a Christmas present, that he himself had worn for years - he wanted me to have it. It’s the only thing that he could afford to give me over all the years, and I feel bad that I rarely wore it. I wore it for the past month of mourning, and now I’m back to my usual Ti Planet Ocean 9300 as my usual go to watch.

    But this watch is the real keepsake - not all the watches that I gave him over the years, but rather the one that he thought I would enjoy as a gift from him to me. The one that he wore for years and loved for himself, but gave to me after my son replaced it with the Citizen that he’d earned as an Eagle Scout.

    CE7A2A82-5DC4-407B-9740-8379AB778328.jpeg
    CCC58D17-AE6F-495D-A54A-535A91E998E4.jpeg

    Izzy, you will be missed but you left your mark on everyone you met, and I’ve had strangers contact me to let me know how special you were. I’ll miss you, but it’s nice to have the memories along with the mementos of who you were.

    Watches seem to be a special family heirloom for many to pass down, and I plan to honor that tradition. When I wear his watches, or my son wears mine, we can think about what things we did while wearing them and the marks left on them, sometimes together, and smile.
     
  2. YY77 Sep 23, 2020

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    sorry to hear about your loss, my condolences to you and your family.
     
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  3. Enzo Sep 23, 2020

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    So sorry to read this, bless him and may he rest in peace, my sincere condolences.
     
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  4. w@tcher Sep 23, 2020

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    Sorry to hear this..
    Sincere condolences...

    You have a lot of memories and things to remember him...
     
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  5. Maganator Sep 23, 2020

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    I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Glad that you have some special keepsakes to remind you of him.
     
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  6. rob#1 Sep 23, 2020

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    Sorry for your loss, especially as COVID meant you never got to see him. Rest In Peace, Izzy.
     
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  7. Walrus Sep 23, 2020

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    I’m very sorry for your loss but glad you have the good memories to hang on to
     
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  8. Uniqez Sep 23, 2020

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    Sorry for your loss Larry. He will be living in your memories forever. May he rest in peace.
     
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  9. gbesq Sep 23, 2020

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    I am very sorry to hear of his passing and your loss. I know that it’s made all the worse by not having been able to be with him. I was stuck in traffic on the way to the hospital when my father passed away. It’s obvious from your post that the two of you were very close and that you looked after him as a good brother should. I hope that you can take some comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering. My thoughts are with you as I know are those of every other OF member who reads this thread.
     
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  10. Tempus Sep 23, 2020

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    It's a lovely story laryganz .... may those good memories bring you comfort.
     
    Edited Sep 23, 2020
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  11. Gav1967 Tend not to fret too much Sep 23, 2020

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    Larry,
    Your message has bought a tear to my eye and broken my heart.
    I have an older brother and it would be devastating to me for anything to happen to him. I can only guess at what you have been going through. I sincerely hope that all the memories of your bro displace the heartache of his absence over time.
    Love and best wishes to you and your family

    G
     
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  12. ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Sep 23, 2020

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    Watches are a fitting remembrance for the time we have with one another.

    Sorry for your loss.
     
  13. janice&fred Sep 23, 2020

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    Condolences for your very unexpected loss.
     
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  14. RRMagyar Sep 23, 2020

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    I am so very sorry for the loss of your brother -- thanks for the heartfelt memories -- and all the best to your son, your family, and you as you cope with the loss of someone so special. I always enjoy your posts, this one is truly special.
     
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  15. krogerfoot Sep 23, 2020

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    I'm sorry for your loss. It's a small comfort that the disastrous situation in the US especially means that too many of us can commiserate with the agony of not being able to see off a loved one or mourn with family and friends. It's been two months since my father died and I'm sorry to say the impulse to pick up the phone and call the person you lost and didn't get to say goodbye to will continue for some time. On the one hand it's a comfort to feel like they're still out there waiting to hear from you, but on the other, reliving the moment you learned that they died every day takes it out of you. Maybe one day when things return somewhat to normal we'll all be able to have a do-over and send off our loved ones properly.

    Thank you for sharing your story and your tribute to your brother. I hope putting it in writing brought you a little peace.
     
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  16. UncleBuck understands the decision making hierarchy Sep 23, 2020

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    Watches artistically represent the concept of time and one of the best things about this hobby is looking at a vintage timepiece and imagining the world that it has seen. It seems that this will never be more true than with your family and the loss of your brother.

    Please accept our heartfelt embrace.
     
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  17. flw history nerd Sep 23, 2020

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    Larry,

    Please know that we are all with you in spirit at this time. You've shared a lot of special insights about your brother. I appreciate your love for him, and your loss.

    At times like this, we realize that this online community is about a lot more than watches. We're a family of sorts - especially when we're separated from our own families.

    Blessings to you and yours, sir.
     
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  18. Dan S Sep 23, 2020

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    I had noticed that you weren't around very much and I'm terribly sorry to hear about your brother. Please accept my sincere condolences.
     
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  19. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Sep 23, 2020

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    Great story. My sincere condolences. Covid is going/has scarred many families. Loosing a loved one now creates cruel choices and circumstances. Your brother’s story is not unusual. Folks are dying for lack of medical care put off by fear of C19. Thats a stat not in the 200k dead but it’s real. Treasure those memories and timepieces.
     
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  20. GandOsDad Sep 23, 2020

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    Very sorry for your loss Larry.
     
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