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Three months ago I wrote that my uncle offered his support following the death of my father. Yesterday we buried that uncle, a victim of eastern equine encephalitis, EEE. This has been a particularly bad year for this exceedingly rare disease, but for our family an excruciatingly personal one.
Normally EEE affects only 5 to 10 people a year nationwide. About a third of those cases are fatal, with most of the survivors requiring months of recovery and experiencing some degree of brain damage. This year there have been 11 fatalities so far. One of them was my uncle. Other relatives that live in that area say they are afraid of going outside. The town has instituted a curfew of sorts, closing neighborhood ballparks at dusk and warning people not to venture out during times when mosquitos are likely to be active. This weekend is the annual illumination, the sending of floating lights down the river. The smell of DEET will likely join the aroma of scented candles this year.
My uncle was the youngest of nine children. He was always willing to take charge of events, and always supported the family with gusto and faith. My mother and two sisters are all that remain from that large coterie along with my uncle’s wife and another late uncle’s ex-wife, both as true aunts as the blood sisters. They carry on a family legacy that has been inspiring to all in my generation and the next who have learned from their fine examples.
Still, it’s been a rough year or two. Unexpected passings, lost employments, health issues and more pile on the background noise of our current political strife. There seems constant reminders that life is to be lived while we have the opportunity.
My heart goes out to my dear aunt and three cousins whose grief is magnified by the suddenness of this calamity. I weep for my other aunts, my mother, my extended family. I take solace in knowing they all continue with the fond memories of my departed uncle.
David J. Kent is a science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
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Hot White Snow 
Aw, how sad.. I’m sorry for your and your family’s loss.
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Thanks. To some extent it’s something my generation should prepare itself for given the ages of our parents. On the other hand, we’ve had the benefit of longevity genes stretching out the inevitable such that when something like this happens it catches us off guard.
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Once in my many decades (& a few years as LNA), I’ve only seen one person prepared for her death, as was her family. Otherwise, it seems always a terrible surprise (most especially when its from something like EEE — or an under-vented generator — no matter what age). Oh dear 😦 — again, I’m so sorry. You’re all in my thoughts.
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My sincere condolences. I remember commenting on your uncle. He seemed like a very considerate and perceptive individual.
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Thanks. While my father was significantly older and his health had been failing, this uncle was the baby of the lot, so succumbing to an extremely rare disease at his age came as a shock. Like all my aunts and uncles he was a gem. His siblings (and us in the next generation) have been taking it hard. And my mother is obviously still regrouping after the loss of my father. Having a large family does provide a built-in support group for these occurrences, but that support group is steadily shrinking.
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I understand the shrinking support group. Not much left of my own family, especially in the US. Sounds like the loss to your family was also of one of those pillars of support, which makes it even more difficult. And reading about EEE, it really does seem like something from out-of-the-blue, which makes it even more difficult to process. I really am sorry to hear about this.
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Since my uncle was the youngest (14 years younger than the oldest), no one even gave a thought of him dying before they did, even though he a few days before his 78th birthday. I remember when my grandmother died at 102. About a year before she went she said she was ready because “no mother should have to bury their own children.” She had outlived five of them.
The EEE is why it was such a shock. He was the most vibrant man, and as the only son remaining, had seen himself as the protector of the family. Then suddenly, he was gone. No warning. Just gone, to a disease that normally is fatal to only 2 or 3 people a year.
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So sorry for your loss, David. Fond memories heal the grieving heart.
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Thanks, Irina.
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So shocking and sad. 😦 I still can’t believe he is gone…
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I know. We just saw him healthy and hale.
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