Happy Birthday Dave Shapiro

I don't delete dead people from places like my address books, or well, anywhere their contact info is stored. I can never bring myself to break that final connection even though I'll never see them again on this earth. So, had a bit of a twinge when Facebook told me it's Dave Shapiro's birthday today. Of course, he died well over a year ago but his wall was full of Happy Birthday wishes. Clearly, a lot of people don't know he's gone. But not all. Thanks to some person I don't know who left a little memorial post, I finally found out how Dave Shapiro died.

So tragic. You can read the whole story at the link, but short version is he froze to death in his own home. Alone. It was a long time before anyone checked in and found him. I keep thinking, if only he had come to visit me, as he said he would, he might still be alive today.

The article made much of his mental breakdown after Joselyn died, but I don't think he died of a broken heart so much as a broken spirit. Sure he was angry, and acting out a bit, but I don't believe he was a danger to anyone. He died because he couldn't get a job. The man was happiest when he was working. He thrived on an overloaded work schedule. Never knew him to have less than three jobs, plus his music gigs.

Then it all disappeared, at least partly because they hospitalized him for the depression. They would have done him a better service if they had hired him to do something productive. He would probably still be alive.

Anyway, as I said on Facebook, I still miss him. Hope they're throwing a big old party in the Summerlands and he's jamming right now with Levon Helm. And that my Dad's there hanging out with the guys.