Indifference to the Passing of Dr. Stewart
Sorry folks, but I just have to vent here a bit ..
I know we had at least one thread posted earlier on here on which many OHers expressed shock and sadness over the sudden and unexpected loss of a great practitioner of the DS here in the Denton, Texas area -- Dr. Daryl Stewart.
Upon reading the news of Dr. Stewart's passing here, I immediately posted notices of same to both of our major Texas DS Yahoo newsgroups -- the North Texas DSers (of which I'm a member) and the "DS for Texas" group, whi*****ludes members all over the middle and southern part of the state. I also sent direct emails with the news to the leaders of both groups, one of which is not only a DSer but a fellow physician, as well as to the assistant and "right hand" person to one of the top DS surgeons in the U.S..
Despite all the above, not a single person responded to the news of Dr. Stewart's death with either a post to the group or return email to me. When I finally called the leader of our local group to make sure she had in fact received my email, I was instead berated for calling her at a late hour and hung up on.
Have people really become that uncaring over the last few years?
Here was a man who took the time and trouble to become familiar with probably the most advanced method of bariatric surgery to date - one virtually unknown in our part of the state at the time - and use that knowledge and skill to save lives on a daily basis -- yet no one in our DS community seems to mourn his loss, other than the few of us who did so on this forum.
Doing a bit of research online, I discovered that Dr. S's own father passed away after a lengthy battle with leukemia just 7 months before his son did. He was one of the most accomplished and prominent scientists and professors of entomology (the zoological field concerning insects) in the U.S.
Maybe Dr. S. just took a look around after his father died and, seeing how ungrateful people were, decided he was better off being together with his dad. Who knows.
Frank talk about the DS / "All I ever wanted to be was thin, like that Rolling Stones dude ... "
HW/461 LW/251 GW/189 CW/274 (yep, a DS semi-failure - it happens :-( )
I am sorry you feel people have seemed uncarring. I didn't know Dr. Stewart but I can tell you that the DS Facebook groups were absolutely filled with messages from people who were shocked and saddened by the loss of such a great man and gifted surgeon. I hope you can find comfort in knowing that his death has not gone unnoticed and I do offer you my sincere condolences.
I just got back in town and heard of the loss. I Googled information and was taken to your post. Dr Steward saved my life 9 years ago and I am so saddened by the loss, words cannot describe my emotion. I do not have any details as to how he died or if he had been sick but I can tell you he has a special place in my heart.
I am sorry that other members were complacent with his passing, but I can tell you I am not.
Thanks for your post and taking up for such a great man! He will be missed
rowdyramona
People knew and they responded..they came together.
Maybe they just dont like you.