Audrey Bromby’s fave picture of herself from a long time ago- a time I cherish and remember
Most of you would not know my friend Audrey Bromby, but chances are that each and every one of you has a friend you were best buds with in school. So this essay is not only for Audrey, but it is also a reminder not to take life or your friends for granted.
Today I got a very lost message on Facebook that said:
I have some sad news to pass on to you. Our beloved and special friend Audrey Bromby passed away on July 11 around 5am. She had a massive stroke and never gained consciousness before passing.
These days at my age it seems you loose friends you never thought you would– like Audrey. You go from having a plethora of best friends, good friends, and acquaintances to only having a core group of people in your life. The great Audrey Bromby always seemed immortal to me, and one of the strongest young women I knew in High School. No one ever messed with Audrey, and Leslye Wyatt and I clung to her every word. Nothing seemed to bother her, and every day I wished I could be just like her.
We lost touch through the years, but thanks to Facebook, the old Cowansville High School gang reunited and created a group called: Those Darn Kids from Cowansville High School. Together we created a book that I helped write and edit called: Cowansville High School Misremembered and the proceeds went to a bursary program at our old school. Audrey had not lost an ounce of attitude through the years, and my admiration for her was now even greater.
In theory, close friendships are supposed to be everlasting, and now it happens even more so online. They’re built to survive even your husband or wife and glide with you to the finish line. So hearing that Audrey wasn’t going to be with me at “the end of the road” has devastated me since I heard the news just a little over an hour ago.
Even though we were in our 60s-Audrey still remembered everything about me, she still recalled everything I went through in my childhood. I knew most of what had happened to her, but still I didn’t see her as a senior like myself. I knew her health was bad, but still visioned Audrey as the girl with the beautiful brown hair and laugh that I danced with at the local Knight of Columbus Hall on Friday nights. It didn’t matter how old we were, we still talked about Bruce from Les Sultans who had driven us gals crazy in the 60s. Nothing had ever changed for us when we reconnected on Facebook-absolutely nothing.
Friendship is deep and powerful and amazing, but it is hard to really explain why. Often you have to let people go as everyone is meant to be part of a journey- and sadly, not meant to remain. When people die it brings up our feelings about our own immortality- and you realize you won’t every have another friend exactly like the person you lost. Like my friend Audrey Bromby.
If you are listening up there Audrey– just a few hours ago, Margaret’s lost message let me know you were gone.
“I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I’d see you again”.
…and now I mourn your loss.
11 JUILLET 2016
AUDREY BROMBY
Passed away suddenly at BMP Hospital in Cowansville, on July 11th, 2016, at the age of 66, loving wife of Mr. Kevin Cookman, resident of Bedford.
lindaseccaspina 