I joined the Cape Cod Oblong League, our fantasy football league, so long ago that I couldn’t give you an exact date. It was at least a decade ago, if not more. Some of the other guys in the league have changed over the years, but there’s a core that’s been there since I joined: myself, Geoff “The Commish” Converse, Tim Oliver, Sean Polay, Dave Pare and Charlie Hibbert.
We only get together as a group once, maybe twice, a year. We trade emails all the time during football season, make fun of each other, you know, guy stuff.
Seeing Charlie always makes me smile. The guy is just sweet-natured, witty and fun to be around. I can picture him at this past draft, sitting with a beer by himself at a table with his notes in front of him and a smile on his face.
Charlie died last night. He had a stroke an didn’t make it. Eagle One called me yesterday morning to talk about it. I hadn’t read my email yet. Geoff passed along the news to all of us. Everyone sent their prayers for recovery, but that didn’t happen. He was taken off life support.
He had worked at the Cape Cod Times for years and years — he taught me how to paste up copy when I was an college intern — and the people over there are just torn up. All of his friends are. They’re in shock. It sucks, it really, really sucks.
I only knew him as one of my favorite guys in the fantasy league. His team name, The Sunday Comics, was perfect. He was a dad, a co-worker, a buddy, a husband. He was an all-around awesome guy.
I wish I could think of some great eloquent words to sum up what he meant to everyone, but I can’t. People mean different things to different people and it would lessen what he was if I tried.
I know this, he’s going to be missed is many ways. There’s going to be an empty seat at our draft in September and 11 guys that miss their buddy. We’ll toast his memory, and tell stories, and miss him. And we’ll miss him every time we do it.
Godspeed Charlie. We miss you already, and always will.
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Amen, Rich. He is, and will continue to be, sorely missed.
Well put, Rich. I attended his church service today and to hear all of the great stories that were told by his co-workers and families brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. Charlie – we will miss you.