It's a basic fact that alcohol can kill people. There is no good reason to drink alcohol and a plethora of reasons not to. Here is a sad, sad story of lives lost and destroyed by alcohol.
The 20-year reunion for the Mazama High School Class of 1992 is not scheduled until this coming summer. However, classmates already have had to attend the funerals of David Beeson (Oct. 22) and Nathan LeQuieu (Dec. 17).
David and Nathan were born within two weeks of each other; they were both 38 when they died according to the Herald News. The farewell gathering for Nathan occurred less than two months after the one for David. The elephant in the room on both occasions was alcohol. One of these men committed suicide; the other died from organ failure due to alcohol poisoning. The direct cause of both deaths was alcohol addiction.
The turnout for both memorials in Klamath Falls, OR was impressive. The grieving was heart-wrenching. The question that hangs over both tragedies is: How could this have happened to these guys? They were anything but losers. They were the superstars of the class of '92.
While not perfect, their parents have been characterized by strong moral values and virtuous character. They invested heavily in the lives of their boys as they were growing up, cheering them on at every stage of growth and accomplishment. They did their best to give their sons every opportunity for success in life.
So what went wrong?
Short answer: they became addicted to alcohol. Both young men became heavy drinkers and alcohol led to both of their deaths. What is needed is greater awareness of alcohol and its disastrous effect on the human body. If you or someone you care about has a drinking problem, please seek help immediately. If you prefer total anonymity, there are online alcohol classes too.