Tragedy strikes close to home

Post by **_Dr. Shades** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:23 pm

This happened a week ago last Saturday, but I haven't really been in the mood to post about it until now. Maybe you'll understand why shortly.

First, a little background information: Christopher Bain ("Chris" for short) was my mother's boyfriend through High School until she moved her Senior Year. 18 years or so later he looked her up. He came to visit whereupon I met him for the first time. Cool guy all around.

Later that year we took a vacation to Southern California where we got to see his brand-new house, a beautiful place in Escondido overlooking the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

Fast-forward a couple of years. I was in Boot Camp in the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, and Chris, his wife, and his infant son came to visit during that one brief day of free time they give you the week before you graduate. I can't tell you how nice it was to have someone there with whom to visit.

Chris was also there with my mother & younger brothers when they drove in to watch me graduate.

A month later I was in Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, for the School of Infantry. Chris was kind enough to let me spend a few weekends at his place, picking me up and dropping me back off again. It was a lifesaver to get away from the base for a couple of days at a time for a little normalcy.

He was even nice enough to correspond with me a few times on my mission.

Like I said, Chris Bain was a great guy all-around. I can't say a single thing bad about him.

At any rate, not last Saturday but the Saturday before last he received the order to evacuate due to the Southern California wildfires we've all been hearing about. But for some inexplicable reason, he & his wife failed to do so. I don't know if he was trying to salvage some belongings, fight the fire himself, or whatever--no one knows--but after the fire swept through they found the bodies of Chris & his wife in a cinderblock building behind his house.

So, this tragedy has hit a bit close to home for me, since it took the lives of some people who I was happy to call friends and who were very kind to me at a very vulnerable point in my life.

Therefore:

CHRISTOPHER "CHRIS" BAIN
VICTORIA "VICKI" FOX BAIN
1949 - 2007
REST IN PEACE

_Yoda · Post by **_Yoda** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:59 pm

Oh my goodness, Shades!

:(

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your extended family.

Did their child also perish in the fire?

Post by **_KimberlyAnn** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:47 pm

My condolences, Dr. Shades.

I'm so sorry about the loss of your friend.

Kimberly Ann

Post by **_Dr. Shades** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:50 pm

Thanks to all who have responded so far.

liz3564 wrote:Did their child also perish in the fire?

I doubt it, since he wasn't mentioned. He'd be 20 by now anyway, (my how time flies), so I imagine he was out of the house anyway, either to college or elsewhere.

_Yoda · Post by **_Yoda** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:24 pm

Dr. Shades wrote:Thanks to all who have responded so far.

liz3564 wrote:Did their child also perish in the fire?

I doubt it, since he wasn't mentioned. He'd be 20 by now anyway, (my how time flies), so I imagine he was out of the house anyway, either to college or elsewhere.

I just wondered if you had had any contact with him.

Post by **_Dr. Shades** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:55 pm

liz3564 wrote:I just wondered if you had had any contact with him.

No, unfortunately. Complacency overtook me and I hadn't been in contact with any of them for longer than I care to admit.

Post by **_Always Thinking** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:56 pm

That is heartbreaking! I'm so sorry!

Post by **_barrelomonkeys** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:03 pm

Shades, I'm so sorry! What a terrible circumstance...

Sorry.

Post by **_Gazelam** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:28 am

Horrific. Very sad.

Sorry to hear it.

Post by **_karl61** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:48 pm

My thoughts and prayers are with you and family.

regards,

thestyleguy