Diane Lincoln wrote a heartfelt obituary for her late son, Thomas, in the Gazette on May 7.
When I read the obituaries in the paper far too often someone fairly young dies, and I never understand what ended their life. Reasons for death are rarely stated. I often make the assumption that it was suicide because many people are embarrassed or ashamed when a loved one ends their life. This was not the case with Thomas.
Drug addiction is a horrible disease. We don’t know how old Thomas was when he died, but his picture leads me to believe that he was close to 30. I never knew Thomas but from his mother’s description he sounded like a warm and loving man. When Diane wrote that she would never hear him call her mom again, my heart broke. It must be such a struggle to try to regain your strength when dealing with so profound a loss as losing a child.
My guess is that Diane Lincoln is a strong, resilient woman. Her candidness and honesty in speaking openly of her son’s tragic death is a testament to her spirit and zest for life.
My heart goes out to her as she journeys through her grief in learning to live her life without her loving son.
Lynn K. Cooper
Westhampton