The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
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Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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April 29, 2009
Charlie Schulze - A Family Remembrance I noticed a story from April 25 where a 70 year old man in Florida died saving two boys from drowning in some ocean rip tides. My thought was that if going out like that doesn't get you into heaven, then not much would.
Turns out that Mr Schulze was a cousin to a pal of mine, who wrote me with memories of his beloved family member that I want to share with you. Take it away, Cousin Lou: ------ My cousin, Charlie Schulze, died this past weekend, on Saturday, April 25. Because of the selfless way in which he died, I feel compelled to talk about him, to share a little of Cousin Charlie with my friends.
I won't pretend that Charlie and I were particularly close. He was at least 20 years older than me, and lived in the Washington, D.C. area, while I have spent the better part of my life in Ohio.
But, for the relatively few times that Charlie and I spent time together as adults, I have to say he was always great to be around, and I always looked forward to seeing him. The phrase most often used to describe him was "big-hearted."
Charlie was my mother's sister's son. Due to some family issues, including his mother's premature death while he was barely a teen, in many ways, Charlie saw Aunt Norma as the primary mother figure in his life. Certainly, few sons have ever loved a mother more than Charlie loved his Aunt Norma.
Charlie was gregarious and generous, always the life of a party. In fact, parties seemed to break out wherever Charlie might be.
He overcame dyslexia and became a successful attorney. He worked hard, and he played hard. He made lots of money, and he spent lots of money - on himself, on his family, on his friends, basically, anyone in his proximity.
If you attended Norma's 90th birthday party last July, you almost surely met Charlie. He was the one who composed and read the long tribute poem to his beloved Aunt Norma. He likely offered to buy you a drink as well. Charlie and his longtime girlfriend, Helen, were responsible for the beautiful orchid plant that you would have passed in the receiving line.
Charlie died a true hero. He and Helen were walking along Pompano Beach in Florida when they saw two boys struggling in rough waters, one about forty yards out. The closest lifeguards were several blocks away. Without hesitation, Charlie dove in and pulled the two youngsters close enough to shore for others to help. They survived, not even needing a trip to the hospital.
Unfortunately, the effort proved to be too much for Charlie. Medical reports show that Charlie's exertion during the rescue triggered a fatal heart attack. It was remarkable that Charlie was able to bring both boys far enough that others could help. I suspect that, once he knew the boys were safely in others hands, he just let go. Efforts to revive him were in vain. Charlie was gone.
Family members were stunned as word of
Charlie's death spread. It seemed almost inconceivable that a heart so big could have stopped so abruptly. As we discussed Charlie's life, and his unexpected and untimely death, we concluded that if Charlie could have picked his way to go, going out saving two young lives would have been his choice. It was selfless, and it was heroic.
So, I hope my friends now know a little more about my Cousin Charlie, how he lived his life, and how he risked it - and ultimately sacrificed it - to save others.
If you're so inclined, offer a little prayer for Charlie and his family.
After that, please take a moment to raise your glass to Cousin Charlie, a man who lived life to the fullest, up to the very end. I think Charlie would appreciate that.
