Sorry for the loss. Are their kids? That is the real tough part. I lost my wife a while back and it was tough getting back on my feet with 3 young kids. I had a lot of support from my church and a close friend who went through the same thing. It does help to have people around you. If mal needs someone to talk to I can help.

Nothing I can say will change how much that sucks.. all I can do is hope that he can find some modicum of peace sometime down the road. I can only imagine how crushing that day will be when (if) it comes for me. I totally understand the desire to stay off the forums in this situation, however. Pinball and Pinside can wait.. we will be here when you need something, or when you feel like posting again. Thanks for letting us know, and we'll be here..

if you do read this mal, please know i am thinking of you... we have developed a nice relationship both via posts and pm, and i truly feel for your loss...

Mal- I'm so sorry to hear the terrible news. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Thank you all, I really appreciate all your comments. I love pinside and the people here are a great bunch. I haven't met you Chris, but yes we have developed a nice relationship via emails. I always enjoy seeing your cat avatar looking back at me as I and a lot of others missed you when you were off the forums for a while. I'll try not to stay away from pinside for long.

Thank you Russell, I was very fortunate to have met you a couple of times and played your pins. You were the closest pinsider living nearby me once. That pin golf tourny we had at Geoffs place was a lot of fun.

Jodi and I both had 2 kids each but none with each other. They're all adults and have left home. Jodis son is 22 and devastated. Her daughter is 25 and estranged but she misses her mother deep down. My 2 kids are 33 and 25 and also estranged so they probably don't know about my loss yet.

Jodi has been battling leukaemia since 2007 and her battle was finally lost. R.I.P. my beautiful Jodi
Mal

Mal -

Very sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and all affected by this.

We have never met but in a way I think of the broader pinball enthusiast community (particularly EM's which is all I do) as a family.

Mal -

Very sorry to learn of this! You are definitely part of our family - please let us know if there is anything we can do to help in any way!

-scott