I'm only in the margins of the loop with respect to the two mentioned in the parent post, one of which was thoroughly planned for while the other is much more of challenge.

Either side, my two significant protégés of recent years have had to deal all too young with the death of a single parent, only one getting any clue in advance.

No matter how many other things have claims to importance and no matter how hard it is to provide practical help from the other side of the planet, that just turned 19 will be getting any time he asks for.

One small positive note was that after nearly three years of intense keyboard communication, I had finally picked up my iPhone and called Bryan for a chat from my internet café in Apollo Bay only days before his shocking news.