MACKTEXAS
Well-known Member
This story is 10 years old, but I didn't see it until recently. I'm posting it to "Seniors Living Alone" because it speaks to me about the importance of staying socially connected.
THE LONELY DEATH OF GEORGE BELL
[Condensed from The New York Times]
Each year around 50,000 people die in New York. A much tinier number die alone. No one collects their bodies or mourns the conclusion of a life. They're just a name added to the death tables. In the year 2014, George Bell, age 72, was among those names. The police found him in his living room on the carpet, after a neighbor called 911 to report a fetid odor.
Investigators scavenged for a will, a cemetery deed, financial documents, an address book, those sorts of things. There were some holiday cards, and a card from an Elsie Logan in Red Bank, N.J., thanking him for a gift of Godiva chocolates.
Then followed the usual police investigations, coroner reports, and concerted efforts to locate next of kin. Eventually, a final accounting of George Bell's assets was submitted to the court. They equated to about $540,000 in property, and bank accounts holding $215,000. Over 30 years had passed since George Bell chose the legatees in his will: Martin Westbrook, Frank Murzi, Albert Schober and Eleanore Albert. He had been out of touch with most of them for years, and some had since died. He had named Thomas Higginbotham, still living, as beneficiary on his bank accounts.
Mr. Higginbotham received the money from the bank accounts directly, and quit his position in the moving business. The last time he spoke to George Bell was 10 years ago. It was hard for him to reconcile the way George Bell’s money came to him. “I argued with him to get out of that apartment and spend his money and enjoy life. I sent him brochures on places to go."
I was unable to access the full story through The New York Times without signing up, but I found it in a PDF file at the link below, which I checked for security through the link checker I use (TrendMicro) and found it to be safe:
FULL STORY HERE
THE LONELY DEATH OF GEORGE BELL
[Condensed from The New York Times]
Each year around 50,000 people die in New York. A much tinier number die alone. No one collects their bodies or mourns the conclusion of a life. They're just a name added to the death tables. In the year 2014, George Bell, age 72, was among those names. The police found him in his living room on the carpet, after a neighbor called 911 to report a fetid odor.
Investigators scavenged for a will, a cemetery deed, financial documents, an address book, those sorts of things. There were some holiday cards, and a card from an Elsie Logan in Red Bank, N.J., thanking him for a gift of Godiva chocolates.
Then followed the usual police investigations, coroner reports, and concerted efforts to locate next of kin. Eventually, a final accounting of George Bell's assets was submitted to the court. They equated to about $540,000 in property, and bank accounts holding $215,000. Over 30 years had passed since George Bell chose the legatees in his will: Martin Westbrook, Frank Murzi, Albert Schober and Eleanore Albert. He had been out of touch with most of them for years, and some had since died. He had named Thomas Higginbotham, still living, as beneficiary on his bank accounts.
Mr. Higginbotham received the money from the bank accounts directly, and quit his position in the moving business. The last time he spoke to George Bell was 10 years ago. It was hard for him to reconcile the way George Bell’s money came to him. “I argued with him to get out of that apartment and spend his money and enjoy life. I sent him brochures on places to go."
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I was unable to access the full story through The New York Times without signing up, but I found it in a PDF file at the link below, which I checked for security through the link checker I use (TrendMicro) and found it to be safe:
FULL STORY HERE
So many people have no one. At least he did try. He made a will. Life just got away from him before he could make updates. As he got more tired and older, time probably seemed to speed by faster. One bout of not feeling like going out at all, not calling anyone at all can lead to not feeling like doing self-care or getting up. When there is no one who regularly checks on a person, I think a silent and lonely death can come swiftly.
