Sad News about a Fellow Huddler

[Shamrock]

There was plenty of food on site. It was still in bags. This says to me a few things:

He was in too much pain to deal with it. When I was immobile for months on end, if I had not had Mush and others & reached out to for help, my own children would have been neglected. And I would die for them.

He was much more sick and in much more pain than he ever let on. To anyone.

He didn't reach out for help. Whether that was because of pride, not thinking people would help, or just that long process with depression where someone just gives up we will never know.

Right up to the end, he kept up appearances that all is well, despite a terrible medical prognosis. This I can completely relate to. It is easier sometimes to deny the condition than face REAL head-on.

No one can judge someone on dealing with that pain unless they have sat in the same shoes. Pain, particularly cancer pain in final stages, can put people out of their minds in quite a literal fashion.

If I take anything from this, I will reach out more. And I will ask more questions.

[bubbadawg]

Well said Amanda. I think this board would be well served to at least keep speculation and thoughts to ourselves at least til the man is put to rest. None of us know the facts of his last moments or decisions. We should also remember that his family and friends may well be checking in on this site to see the postings from his friends. I'll just choose to remember his laughter and kindness for that is the Clifton I knew, a power greater than myself will handle any judgement that needs to be done.

[kittycat]

Thank you Redwing and Bubbadawg.

[Bobby]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Enke

Sadly, we often don't find out until it's too late.

I don't know what Clifton was going through, nor will I claim to know, but after reading what he was facing physically, I have no doubt that depression had set in on him. That's an illness that we know far too little about, anyone who has known/knows someone who suffers from it, or suffers from it themselves, knows that it can literally cause the mind to cave in upon itself. A seemingly normal, fully-functional human being can be destroyed by it in a matter of days.

It's horrible.

If that's what happened with him, no one can blame him for what happened. It sounded as if he genuinely loved those animals, and he was a giving man.

[PanthersOnTheGround]

Cliff was sick but not once did he stop caring for his animals. As to what happened to them we dont know yet. The animals were beening took care of though.

Huh?? Had you actually been on the property and seen this?? You can honestly say these animals were being cared for??????

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/6988762/

Was Clifton really only diagnosed Friday? This neglect has been going on for months, and i think the authorities shoulder some of the blame here. The neighbors had reported this long ago.

Watch the video people.

[bubbadawg]

how about we leave the accusations alone for awhile? They do no good at the moment

[Shamrock]

Happy memory 1: EVERY phone call to our house from Clifton, I'd pick up the phone & he'd growl "hey sexy...'s your man around?". If he was, he wanted to talk to Mush. If he wasn't he'd say "good! Can I come over?"

Happy memory 2: EVERY tailgate he was coming to, you were guaranteed umpteen calls to Mush per day for abt a week prior making sure there would be enough food. Asking what to bring.

[Happy Panther]

Huh?? Had you actually been on the property and seen this?? You can honestly say these animals were being cared for??????

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/6988762/

Was Clifton really only diagnosed Friday? This neglect has been going on for months, and i think the authorities shoulder some of the blame here. The neighbors had reported this long ago.

Watch the video people.

Well that's the problem with the media. They show you the messy soundbites and attention grabbing quotes. Fortunately a bunch of people here knew the guy personally and can attest that he was an animal lover and one of the most selfless people around. I trust these firsthand accounts.

[ThPantherFan]

Regarding the newspaper article, I think they focused on the horses because they usually don't report suicides. At least they didn't used to. The suicide was part of the horse story, so they included it.

I'm sorry, but 13 dead horses and nine emaciated ones is a news story. Some people don't give a crap about animals and that's their issue, but many people do. I'll stand toe to toe with anyone who has a problem with that.

It's really hard to comprehend the horse issue. He was a caring person, period. I didn't get to spend a lot of personal time with Clifton, but met him through the tailgates, posts, and know many who speak highly of him. There had to be more to the story than what we know. At this point it is none of our business. That is a family issue. It bothered me that at least one individual had to make that comment.

[MadHatter]

Huh?? Had you actually been on the property and seen this?? You can honestly say these animals were being cared for??????

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/6988762/

Was Clifton really only diagnosed Friday? This neglect has been going on for months, and i think the authorities shoulder some of the blame here. The neighbors had reported this long ago.

Watch the video people.

Please feel free too keep your accusations to yourself. We would appreciate it if you did not stink up the place with things you know nothing about. We are remembering and grieving for a friend to many of us.

You are free to believe what you will...just please do not post them here.

[ThPantherFan]

Rip

I'm glad you got the word, my friend.

[Zod]

This is not the place to air any personal concerns or grievances. If you don't have anything nice to say, leave it be.

[Panthro]

Well that's the problem with the media. They show you the messy soundbites and attention grabbing quotes. Fortunately a bunch of people here knew the guy personally and can attest that he was an animal lover and one of the most selfless people around. I trust these firsthand accounts.

FWIW

There's also a lot of people around here that are staying quiet about certain things.

[mush]

something had to be wrong with him not taking care of the animals, I can remember many conversations with him talking about how many bales of hay he could fit on a truck. Something wasn't normal there at the end.