The more people we know online, the more heart-breaking tragedies we will be sharing with our friends on the blogosphere. I question whether all of this twittering, blogging, asking for donations, changing the color of our avatars, and begging for celebrity tweets is the right response to the learning of the passing of a child, or a blogger friend fighting cancer, or someone on Facebook having their home destroyed by a hurricane.
Maybe there isn’t an adequate response.  Everyone is just trying to find their way. None of us know exactly what to do during these sad events, or whether we should be doing it in such a public manner. I hope the families of Thalon and Maddie accept our sincere condolences from this virtual online family.
Gorillabuns is the name of the blog of my good blogging friend, Shana.  You can help Shana and her family by donating. (thank you, Whoorl)
The Spohr’s Remember Maddie site. I will be walking in the March of Dimes march for babies with other New Yorkers. Come join us or sponsor us.
Sigh. Like you there are times when the weight of everyone’s sorrows is so heavy, but then there’s the strength of all the connections helping us to stand together…
Balance.
I didn’t know either of these bloggers, but their losses are woven into my days…
It is so easy to add support for tragedy. Online. In real life it’s harder. You have to cook the lasagna, or take someone else’s kids to school, or go repair the broken lines. But I like to hope that the impulse made palpable in Internet posts is at least a sign we could be good. Even if we aren’t. In real life.
I’m so frustrated that I can’t be there in real life to help. I don’t want to just send an email or a comment.
I never know what the right response is. I think most people are looking for something they can do to help ease the pain. I have been stunned by these two recent deaths, I can’t imagine what the parents must be experiencing and hope I never have to find out.
I’ll be walking in Seattle, I signed up to walk for a friend’s child but in spirit will be walking for all children.
I agree with V-Grrrl. I did not know these bloggers either, but they have touched me with their sadness. Prayers and blessings to them both.
So incredibly sad! Thanks for sharing this and helping to pass the world along.
thank you for your support, Neil. Both this post and your joke. I so wish I was going to be meeting you at the end of this in Vegas.