Stunned by the death of Wouter Weylandt

I had my day planned out, I was going to eat breakfast, watch the Giro and head out for a long day of training.  I am still sitting on the couch feeling numb after today's stage.  I was not a cyclist when Fabio Casartelli died, I was not watching the stage of Paris Nice when Andre Kivilev lost his life, but I was watching today. 


 I will never forget the images of them cutting Weylandt's helmet off.  The scene of the cars and the riders telling the cameras to get away.  I hoped and prayed for the next 40 minutes that he would recover.  We all just learned that he died from his injuries. I hope he felt no pain, and was gone the moment he fell.  I am so very sorry for his family, friends, and teammates.  It is rare that an athlete dies while participating in their sport; I can only recall a few others (Hank Gathers, Ayrton Senna, Reggie Lewis, Dale Earnhardt and Carla Swart).  I have the same questions now as I did when those athletes lost their lives.  Is it more sad or somehow a better ending for their life that they left this earth doing what they love?  Many people of the same ages have died in a hospital bed or in a car wreck.  All deaths are sad, whether the person is 99 or 24; they all leave a hole in the lives of those that loved them.  I can only hope that somehow, dying while doing that which they loved, was a better end.


RIP Wouter Weylandt