Dean Barnett — Gone at 41
Posted By: 'Okie' | 2:07 pm — 10/27/2008 | 
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Dean Barnett passed away today. Born in 1967, he was a young 41 years old. What a shame, what a loss for all of us.
I first discovered Dean while he was guest posting at Hugh Hewitt’s blog where his opinions and prose entertained and informed with a sense of glee. I used to send him Photoshops and he used one once, and often commented on others that he liked. When I got an email from him that was special. I loved it when he guest hosted for Hugh on the radio. That voice, that Boston accent, the way he had such fun talking with Glen in Texas.
Dean had cystic fibrosis and had already out survived the odds. He had many close calls before, but a new type of treatment gave him hope, and extra months and years. Dean wrote about CF in a blog 2006 post.
CF is a genetic disease, the number one genetic killer in the country. The average age of death is 36. I’m now 39; when I was born in 1967, the life expectancy for a newborn with CF was 8 years.
Yet, he thought that he was a lucky man.
Until I was a teenager, I was mostly asymptomatic. Even after I was a teenager, I enjoyed what is considered good health in the CF community. I’ve certainly been luckier than most CF patients.
After having a serious setback a few years ago and being placed on the lung transplant list he got a chance at being in a test of a new treatment.
At one point during my interview, the questioner asked me if I expected to see a cure to CF in my lifetime. I answered no, but that it doesn’t really matter. When you see death up close, a couple of things become clear. One is that we all die, and that death is just part of the deal. The other is that life is such a blessing, that’s it just so great, even though you know the inevitable might be near you still want as many bites of the apple as possible.
None of us know what the future of the salt water treatment might be. My health will maintain its current state indefinitely in the truest sense of the term. The good times could continue for years, or it could all crash tomorrow.
That treatment brought him a bit over 18 extra months of the “good times”.
Godspeed Dean. May God’s grace and comfort be with your family and friends.
Others honoring Dean:
And I’m sure, there will be many, many more . . .
Technorati Tags: Dean Barnett, cystic fibrosis
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