Larry Walters was one of 35 students in my class @ WHS shown here 3rd from the left (sitting next to me second from left). He was in my weight division for physical education wrestling and wrestled like a Tasmanian devil. I had lost touch with him since then. A fellow classmate just shared this terrible news with me.
The one solution to all of mankind’s ills is LOVE. Larry Walters allowed himself to feel unLOVED and chose to tragically take his life like actor Robin Williams and scores of others have. The sense of hopelessness, depression and unhappiness causes much pain and suffering and many seek an escape from it rather than go directly through the flames of the fires of life’s trials. We are not alone in our burning coal fire walk of life. This reminds me of two stories:
The Touch of the Master’s Hand
‘Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on an old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar,” then, two! Only two?
“Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
“Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three…” But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: “ What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going and gone,” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth?” Swift came the reply:
The Touch of the Master’s Hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of potage,” a glass of wine;
A game – and he travels on.
He is “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the changes that’s wrought
By “The Touch of the Master’s Hand.”
( Myra B. Welch – Author )
https://touchofthemastershand.wordpress.com/
https://jesuscalmsourlivesstorms.wordpress.com/
Gary man dies after jumping from I-80/94 overpass
GARY — A Gary man died after he jumped from a bridge onto the Borman Expressway on Monday and was hit by a semi, police said.
The 56-year-old man stopped on the Colfax Street overpass about 10:20 a.m., got out of his 2003 Pontiac, put the hood up and jumped off the bridge, according to Indiana State Police.
He landed in a middle lane, and an Iowa man driving a 2014 Kenworth semi and box trailer was unable to avoid hitting the Gary man, police said. The box trailer was loaded with 43,000 pounds of recreational vehicle parts.
Larry passed away on Monday, September 12, 2016.
Larry was a resident of Gary, Indiana.
A Memorial Gathering for family and friends will be held on Friday September 16th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Cline Gardens Church: 6857 New Hampshire Avenue Hammond Indiana 46323. Directly following the memorial service the family would like to ask that everyone meet back for a dinner at the Fraternal Order of Eagles 7229 W. 25th Avenue Gary Indiana.
http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Larry-Joe-Walters-103947526
I never expected 6 years later on the 22 December 2022 my son, Daniel M Parkman ll would jump off a bridge and commit suicide also:
http://DanielMParkmanll.wordpress.com
DanielMParkmanll.wordpress.com
2012 Patriot 
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