John Wheeler, a friend I miss already. RIP.

A friend that I have known for more than 10 years (more like 15) died on Monday night, January 7. His name was John Claude Wheeler, and he was a truly great individual. It appears that he fell down in the shower and hit his head. Though not a close friend of mine, John was a friend to many around him, from his time as a high school student in the Butte, to checking groceries at Clark's, to impressing the hell out of me (and many others I'm sure) by opening the Forest Queen with his brother and sister. Not only did they do a great job setting up the Forest Queen Sports Bar (and boy, was John good at Karaoke!), but thanks to John, the hotel got up and running for the first time in years. Every time I talked to him, he made me proud of a local kid with stories of his business acumen and with his great and boundless enthusiasm. John was truly one of a kind, and I will surely miss him. And I know many others will too. 

John, I hope you are in a better place. Your passing has made me truly sad, but has also reminded me to appreciate all that I am so lucky to have.

Thoughts on the severely retarded

When children are born with severe developmental disabilities (like the kind where the kid can't feel any pain and chews of it's own limbs), why isn't euthanasia accepted? It seems cruel to let them survive. We wouldn't allow a dog in a lot of pain or who was suffering live. We would "put it down." Isn't it a violation of human rights (or at least really mean and cruel) to keep some child alive who just hurts all the time, who can't have friends, who doesn't understand, and will probably die young but after years of misery?