When a internet friend dies that you are close to

[Karen-bionic-fan]

Iv loved the internet since I got it and its strange how close you can get to people through forums , chat rooms MSN i mean the human side of you can only get close to them if you chat with them share jokes and correspond on forums ..... shows you the power of the net and you can be great friends even though you have not met

anyway someone I know and laughed with for a lot of years as finally died this week he had a long illness and was not well enough to recover to say i am shocked would be an understatement poor soul

Iv been crying since i found out ( just found out in the last 40 minutes )

can you turn your self off? with people you know on the net ....... i am human so yes i will be affected ....

[jimsmegos]

I hate to hear this. IMO internet relationships can be just as real as real world ones and in some cases even more so considering that there can be a deeper level of truth shared between people on here. What I mean by that is when it comes to meeting 'faceless' folks from a billion miles away, you may find yourself being more open and honest than you normally would be with the guy at the water cooler. That in turn leads to more honest friendships being formed and so.

My heart goes out to you Karen.

[Hector]

Perhaps my post should not interfere with Karen's at this time (so I deleted it)...I'll post my own experiences about losing an internet friend at a later time.

Sorry for your loss, Karen...I know the feeling.

[Brad]

Sorry for your loss Karen.

[MIB41]

Bonding with someone does not always command a physical presence. I view this type of communication as similar to pen pays from many eras past. They absolutely are real people and your tears are a reflection of the goodness in your heart. It speaks well of the kind of person your are. You care. And that's rare in this world. I'm sure your friend was very lucky to have known you in his life. And I'm certain he's looking down with a warm smile, thanking you for your gift of friendship. My deepest sympathies for your loss Karen.

[GlobalObserver]

In the past 10 years, I've developed a few friendships over the internet that are as meaningful to me as any I have in "the real world". Losing an online friend can be just as sorrowful as losing someone you know offline.

[toys2cool]

I'd be feeling the same way, i have a lot of internet friends that i'd be really sad if something happened to any of them

[toysrus]

So sorry. Hang in there. In my thoughts & prayers. RIP to your friend

[Cmonster]

"How we deal with death is as important as how we deal with life..."
-- Admiral James T Kirk

SC

[VintageMike]

It's all about time known for me. Once you known someone for years like you had it moves into the realm of a real friendship. Sorry to hear of your loss.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

My sympathies for your loss, too, Karen. As others have said, you can be close to someone even if you haven't "met". RIP

[emeraldknight47]

Condolences on your loss, Karen. Hopefully it was a life well-lived and he will live on through the friends he had and the memories he helped to create....

[Nefud]

Don't let anyone make you feel bad for grieving. A friend of mine (through the internet primarily, though we hung out for a weekend one time) committed suicide a while back. Loss is hard enough, don't fixate on whether you should allow yourself to feel it.

[Wee67]

A connection is a connection, no matter how it comes about. And I am so sorry to hear about the the loss of your friend.