Guba
Contributor
Bob's thread ("A meaningful dive) prompted me to relate something that is happening in my neck o' th' woods that is of a very kindred nature.
A diving friend of mine, a young man named Greg, shared a great passion for diving. Earlier this summer Greg, another friend, and I shared a couple of dives at a lake a couple of hours away. The dives weren't anything really unusual or even noteworthy except in one respect...they were Greg's last.
Greg was killed in a motorcycle accident about a week after our dive outing. Due to a strange set of circumstances, I was actually supposed to be in the Gulf of Mexico diving on the date of his funeral, but instead my trip plans had been changed and I was able to be there. After the services, one of Greg's good friends and a mutual dive buddy mentioned he wanted to do something special in the form of a "memorial dive" in remembrance of Greg.
Next month, we will gather at the site of Greg's last dives to remember him, celebrate his life and his zeal for life and his friendship. We, too, will leave a token below in his honor, and we'll gather topside with family and friends to commemorate not just a good dive buddy, but a great, loving person who will be missed.
It seems diving stimulates the forging of bonds that go beyond just being good dive buddies and sharing underwater experiences. It seems to foster ties that pull divers together, creating strong, meaningful, lasting bonds that make us more family than friends.
Thanks for sharing your story, Bob. It strikes a chord that is apparently shared by many within the diving community.
Bill
A diving friend of mine, a young man named Greg, shared a great passion for diving. Earlier this summer Greg, another friend, and I shared a couple of dives at a lake a couple of hours away. The dives weren't anything really unusual or even noteworthy except in one respect...they were Greg's last.
Greg was killed in a motorcycle accident about a week after our dive outing. Due to a strange set of circumstances, I was actually supposed to be in the Gulf of Mexico diving on the date of his funeral, but instead my trip plans had been changed and I was able to be there. After the services, one of Greg's good friends and a mutual dive buddy mentioned he wanted to do something special in the form of a "memorial dive" in remembrance of Greg.
Next month, we will gather at the site of Greg's last dives to remember him, celebrate his life and his zeal for life and his friendship. We, too, will leave a token below in his honor, and we'll gather topside with family and friends to commemorate not just a good dive buddy, but a great, loving person who will be missed.
It seems diving stimulates the forging of bonds that go beyond just being good dive buddies and sharing underwater experiences. It seems to foster ties that pull divers together, creating strong, meaningful, lasting bonds that make us more family than friends.
Thanks for sharing your story, Bob. It strikes a chord that is apparently shared by many within the diving community.
Bill
