DownshoreDrift

“We never thought to check on him.”  That's what a neighbor said when asked about why they did not ever notice that 70 year old, Vincenzo Ricardo, in Hampton Bays, N.Y. had not been seen for about a year. They thought that he might have been in a nursing home or hospital. But, no one ever went by. His partially mummified body was still sitting in front of a still running television. This is beyond sad.

Here, read the whole article:

HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. - The partially mummified body of a man dead for more than a year has been found in a chair in front of his television, which was still on, authorities said. Vincenzo Ricardo, 70, apparently died of natural causes, said Dr. Stuart Dawson, Suffolk County’s deputy chief medical examiner.

Police found Ricardo’s body this week when they investigated a report of burst pipes. The home’s dry air had preserved his features, morgue assistant Jeff Bacchus said. “You could see his face. He still had hair on his head,” Bacchus said.

Ricardo’s wife died years ago, and he lived alone, Dawson said. “He hasn’t been heard from in over a year. That’s the part that baffles me,” he said. “Nobody sounded the alarm.” Neighbors said they had thought Ricardo was in a hospital or nursing home.

“We never thought to check on him,” said neighbor Diane Devon.

I was shocked when I read this. Of course, the implications for Christian community are enormous. God never intended for us to live this way. But, then I started thinking: "Do I know all my neighbors? Do I check on them?" Unfortunately, if I had lived in that neighborhood, I don't know if the result would have been any different. Maybe it would have, but it is not guaranteed. We desperately need each other and we need to build relationships with one another.

So, Vincenzo, here's to you. You didn't have a proper send off. No one was there with you during your final days. You were born in 1936. You were a child during World War II and you graduated high school in 1954, right when rock n' roll was bursting on the scene. Your wife died before you and I don't know if you had any kids. You lived during a time of great change on this planet, and much of it was probably moving too fast for you. But, we at least know that you saw some of it through your portal into other's people's lives, the television. I hope that you weren't watching a reality show when you passed. I hope that you weren't living vicariously through others. But, I am sorry that you were alone. I'm sorry I didn't know you. You probably had some pretty good stories to tell. What kind of hurt did you experience? Did the death of your wife drive you to loneliness and despair? Was she the love of your life that you couldn't live without, or did you ever even speak? What was your story, Vincenzo?

More important than any of that, did you know Jesus as your Savior, your Redeemer, your Lord? More than anything, I hope that you turned your heart to Christ at some point in your life. I hope that you heard and believed the message that Jesus loved you, that He gave His life for you, and that He died for your sins. I hope that some other follower of Jesus cared enough about you to tell you that Jesus loved you and that you could find new life in Him. I hope that you found that peace and joy. If you did, I wonder why you would be alone? Was there no church to support you, to love you, to check on you, and care for you? Were there no believers in Christ in Hampton Bays, New York to remind you that Jesus loves you?

I'm just wondering Vincenzo. If not, and if you never got to hear or believe the message about the love of God through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, I want to apologize to you. I want to say that I am sorry and that I grieve for your soul beyond words. If you thought that Christianity was just a church, a bishop, or a pope, or if you thought that you could be good enough to earn God's favor, I am sorry. If you never heard about grace, unconditional love, or forgiveness, I am sorry for that too. If you heard, and rejected the message, as is your right, I am still sorry that you died alone - so lonely in fact, that no one ever even noticed you were gone, even though you sat in your own house. I'm sorry we never visited you when you were alive. Vincenzo, I am just sorry.

Now, what were we all arguing about again?