Discussion on:

Sad News..... OldMycroft

I received word today that Brian Drake (OM, OldMycroft, OldERMycroft) passed away last week.

I have no details at this time but will add them to this thread as they become available.

[still reeling]

our hearts go out to his family

in my messages and came here to see if it was posted. OM will be greatly missed. He was definitely one of a kind.

Prayers to the family, and to the family that is TR.

This is a shocker, as I still have some music files he sent me that I hadn't finished listening to yet, to tell him what I thought of them.

May Brian rest in peace...

-Tammy

Just. Sh|t.

My condolences to all of OM's friends and family.

ed|t

I have lost my quota and more of loved ones for this year. Brian's passing leaves a hole in my heart.

I hope for his sake that dear Velcro is being cared for.

It is a great loss to us all.

All the best wishes for his family and friends. May he rest well and in peace.

I am deeply saddened to hear this. It always bothered me to think of his passing, but OM seemed to think it important enough to be prepared - he discussed it here occasionally.

My mind, seeking the inane now, wonders how all of this played out in the end:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=102&threadID=320825&messageID=3198289&tag=content;leftCol

*sigh*

I'll miss the fellow.

is smaller today. But I still have Jools. Each time I listen, OM will be near.

Jools and OM will forever be linked.

Boxie... you work here?

Reigning Queen of Spam-busting, you know.

I would often remind Brian that I had a soft place in my heart for him... he would act scruffy and growl, but he was such a tender heart and soul.

His words - whether in print or the times we talked (he bought an actual telephone so that I could call him!) - made me smile from the inside out. He had that affect on people...

Here's his TR Member Spotlight interview - and there's a "young Mycroft" pic of him on that page, as well:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tr-out-loud/?p=144

Brian had become a really good friend, and I will miss him more than I have words for.

I loved OM's sense of humor. He came across as cranky but in reality he did have a heart of gold. I will miss his humorous facebook postings.

RIP Brian

You will be missed. I always loved your snarkiness.

Did someone get the license plat of that train that just ran over me.

Gaaawd this sucks!!!

That sucks!

But I have to ask, how did you receive news of this? And any word on what he died from?

Knowing and having bruited it all along.

For his sake and his family. I remember how painful it was to watch my grandpa die, not knowing who anyone was, and nothing of himself left except his anger. The only time he moved or spoke was when a nurse touched him, and it was all profanity and huge strength to resist the nurse. My mother stayed with him for days reading to him and talking to him without a response. I really hope that mycroft was himself in the end.

.

Would you rather die, with the last images of the faces of your family, knowing how they love you and how you love them?

Or would you rather die not knowing who you are, why you are here, and nothing except that your body hurts and your are raging mad at everything?

Death has no differentiation.

it is a hard thing to see your loved one not recognize you as they pass. I was a stranger to my dad because the morphine does had to be so high because of the pain.....

When Grandpappy just passed, he knew what was going on, but was in just as much pain.

Leaves me feeling like I am on borrowed time with my boys.

... and since everyone's experience is different its hard to compare.

I've been to many funerals. Everything from cancer, to murder, to someone who lived a ripe old age. You try to find some comfort somewhere. In some cases its harder than others.

If I have learned one thing, don't ever put off the chance to say a kind word or reconcile your differences or say thanks. You never know when death will intervene and that chance will be gone.

James

by way of Facebook. A friend or relative in his physical vicinity posted to his Wall.

How old was he anyways? I never really knew him other than his posts. Knowing more about him now seems as good of a time as any.

But his birthday is Saturday coming.

which is why he mockingly called me "young 'un"

GG

Brian called that one right...

and this just proves it.

OM will be sadly missed

R.I.P.

.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8AeV8Jbx6M

May he rest in peace. He'll be missed.

Thank you for that.

Play it over me, if you think of it.

I won't.

..... it won't be anytime soon.

I am already that. So are you. So are all.

Shocked and stunned.

Numb.

Hurting.

GG

Damn! I'll miss the old bugger.

OM.

I wanted to send him a wooden spoon (since Scotland didn't get one..UK rugby peeps will know what I'm talking about), but hadn't gotten around to it...

As Trish said, I hope Velcro is being taken care of, he loved that little thing so much...

Bugger

I reached out to one of his friends via Facebook - the one who initial shared information that he had died last week. Here's what she said:

Hi Friends of Old also known as Brian Drake..............................
He was found slumped over his computer, which for Brian is where he would want to die!

We can see that his last published post was on the 5th April when he" Old just smoked a stack of Rackasaurus Ribs in Cafe World!" at 3am in the morning! He wasn't really old at all, approx late 50s!

His health was poor.........those that know him will also know that he smoked and drank alcohol heavily ....................he was an intelligent man and this was his choice! Perhaps his body just gave out?

Because of his sudden passing there is to be a post mortem, which in his part of the world will take some time and the funeral is thought to be in about 2 weeks time.

Brian did live on his own, had lost touch with his sister so I don't know who his next of kin person is. He had a wealth of friend online in various forums and he will be truly missed.

Velcro, was taken in by a neighbor but unfortunately managed to escape the house and is missing just now............she is being looked for and will be cared for once found!

That's all Know know for now. I was very fond of the old grump and I will miss him dearly!

____________________________

According to another one of OM's friends via FB:

The Tain Registration Office has told me that the funeral directors will be Alasdair Rhind. They say that when they have more details, the arrangements will be posted on their web site:

http://www.alasdair-rhind-funerals.com/index.php?p=0

I know it must have been difficult for you to relay this information along to us.

I couldn't get to sleep until late last night and therefore got up a little late this morning.
Thanks for posting the info and keeping everyone up to date.

I had gotten to know Brian closely over the past few years and had come to think of him as a close friend. Our email, video & voice calls were always too sporadic and far apart for my liking. The fact that someone clear across the Atlantic and I would have so much in common and enjoy each others company so much amazed me to no end. Of all the things I've gained from being part of TR, my friendship with Brian will be by far the most enduring and valuable to me. I know that he wanted very much to be part of the Gathering this year, and the fact that his medical condition kept him from attending weighed very heavy on him.

In our last conversation, besides promising a Left4Dead rematch once my gaming rig was back up, he talked about how much he wanted to meet all his TR friends face-to-face and "tell them what he REALLY thought of them" ... it was so 'Brian.' His biting brogue and wit were surpassed only by the size of his heart. It was because of him that my wife suggested we travel back to Scotland next year and I was so looking forward to it. I will miss him deeply as I know many others will as well. One of a kind. That's for sure.

- Billy