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View Full Version : Inspiration for one of my Character dies Wednesday


TwentyFour
04-05-2006, 07:17 AM
I have a character in my novel, a character who is based on a young man in my town, a friend. He died Wednesday last week. I am so disillusioned and upset by the whole thing. I have never had a friend die, ever! His fiance is pregnant with their second child. He was a rebel, always driving fast as possible, most were afraid of him. If you were his friend, he would do anything for you and expected the same from you. Inspiration for truly remarkable characters are a blessing, but sometimes we don't see the blessing in the actual people till it is too late. Have you ever seen "American Graffiti" and the character John Milner, that was Levi! He died after taking a friend to work, doing one of many favors for his pals, and trying to hurry back home to go to work so he could feed his pregnant girlfriend and one year old son. It took them till Sunday to fix him up well enough to be shown. His family wanted to have open casket. I included two articles, the last from the Province Funeral Home Website. The top one is from Times News.net.

This happened Wednesday of last week, I attended the funeral Monday so my son would not have to see it.



Pennington Gap man killed in crash

DRYDEN - A single-vehicle accident claimed the life of a Pennington Gap man Wednesday evening. A Virginia State Police spokesman said Wesley Levi Adams, 31, Route 2, Box 472-C, was traveling east on Route 58-A near Dryden when he lost control of his 1993 Chevrolet Baretta. At approximately 7:50 p.m., Adams entered a curve and skidded off the roadway to the left, striking a concrete culvert in the median. The vehicle overturned, and Adams was declared dead at the scene.


Levi Adams age 31 of Woodway, VA. was born in Missoula, Montana on Tuesday, October 15, 1974 and passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at the Lee Regional Medical Center in Pennington Gap, VA. Levi was a 1995 graduate of Lee High School and a security guard at Powell Mountain Coal Co. in St. Charles, VA. He had lived in Lee County, VA. his entire life and was of the Pentecostal Faith. Levi is survived by his parents; Jack and Bertie Adams of Stone Creek, VA. Fiance; Bobby Jo Musick of the home, son; Xavier Adams of the home, four brothers; William Johnson of Stone Creek, VA., Jackie Adams, Jr. of Martinsville, VA., Earl Johnson of Franklin, IN. and Shannon Adams of Martinsville, IN. One sister; Jewell Webb of St. Charles, VA. Funeral service will be held at 8:00 P.M. Sunday (4-2-06) at the Province Funeral Home Sanctuary in Pennington Gap, VA. with Danny Parsons, Terry Blondell and Tony Witt officiating. Visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. until time of service on Sunday at the funreral home. Graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday (4-3-06) at Lee Memorial Gardens in Woodway, VA. Family and friends are asked to meet at the funeral home at 10:15 A.M. Monday to go to the cemetery. Pallbearers will be; Robert Stapleton, Chris Baker, Randy Snowden, Jamey Byrer, Timmy Snowden, Brian Thomas, Willie Musick and John King.

TwentyFour
04-05-2006, 07:17 AM
I know my writing above sucked but it sucked to go to a funeral for a friend.

Akuma
04-05-2006, 07:24 AM
I can't say I know how helpful or healing it is to say it, but that really is sad news and I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm also a bit ashamed that I have to jump back on those over-used lines of grief. I just don't know what to say or how to comfort you--perhaps that is why.

I suppose my only advice to you is to honor his character, honor the creation inspired by him.
Become the best writer you can be so that other people can also experience what kind of guy he was and why people loved him for it.

Sage
04-05-2006, 07:25 AM
:Hug2:

JennaGlatzer
04-05-2006, 07:47 AM
I'm sorry, Jo. :Hug2:

BuffStuff
04-05-2006, 07:54 AM
I echo Akuma's sentiment. I wish there was more to be said to comfort, but I am sorry.

CaroGirl
04-05-2006, 08:02 AM
That sux. I'm so sorry.

Jenny
04-05-2006, 08:03 AM
Jo, I probably won't get the words right either, but your original post gave me a vivid picture of Levi. I'm sorry you've lost such a loyal friend; someone who took the risks that challenged you and his other friends to live braver, more generous lives. I hope you never forget him, and maybe it will help if sometimes you do something for someone else and think "Levi, this is for you"? I don't know. Grief is intense and private. Just know you have our sympathy/prayers. Take care,

Jenny

TwentyFour
04-05-2006, 05:01 PM
Thanks everyone, its true he was a generous, brave, never fear man. While at his funeral I looked around and seen his "badboy friends" there crying. I didn't cry till after the funeral, just couldn't do it till then. When we were at the gravesite, my fiance and I were talking to some old friends there and this neighbor came over and spoke to us. It was very cryptic to say the least...

She told us something so intense that when I got home I wrote it down. It was like she was speaking for him, like he was seeing the funeral and warning us.

I think I will include that in my book, I think it fits him.

Funniest thing she said was had Levi been there that day, he would have been in the parking lot doing doughnuts, and she would have been right!

arrowqueen
04-06-2006, 01:38 AM
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure your book will be a fine memorial to him and I hope that brings you a little comfort.

MDavis
04-06-2006, 04:19 AM
How amazing to have something like that (your neighbor's intense words) come out of a tragedy. I'm from Virginia (born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley near Harrisonburg) and your situation really spoke to me (I don't know, maybe because I can picture the landscape and the good kind of "bad boy" people who live there.) I lost a friend like that many years ago, and he still resonates in my memory. I'm sure your writing will be a fitting tribute to his life.

Danger Jane
04-06-2006, 05:23 AM
I'm so sorry. He will live on in your writing and in your heart.

Sorry that sounds so pathetically corny. But it's true. That's why they always say it. People like that don't just go away.

ChunkyC
04-06-2006, 05:38 AM
What they all said, Jo. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteHug2.gif Keep his memory alive in your writing.