Life,Death and Baseball

For those of you who don't know, my son is a coach for a traveling baseball team on which his son, my grandson, is a player. I love baseball and have thoroughly enjoyed going to the games, watching the boys grow, develop and play. There are 11 boys on the team at each game along with their parents and siblings. At intermittant games are the visiting grandparents. There may be an aunt or uncle except for two couples...myself and DH and the grandparents of another player, also in-laws of the assistant coach.
We have gotten moderately friendly over the past few months as the resident "older folk"!
This weekend there was an out of state tournament and we decided to go. Two hours into the trip, we stopped at a rest area and who is walking out? The other "old folks"! We both traveled on another hour to our destination and over the course of the weekend and four games we chatted many times.
The last game ended at 7:15PM Sunday night so needless to say, we had a long ride ahead of us on winding, mountain roads. We all made it safe and sound.

About 1PM Monday my son e-mailed me that last night, Billy passed away in his sleep..........what? how? why?

We are all very upset about this, needless to say. I cannot not think about him and his wife, who was about to retire so they could 'play' together.
My heart is breaking for Nancy, their daughter, son-in-law and grandsons.
Although I was a new friend, we all connected like old souls. I do believe that 'going' as he did is so peaceful although shocking.
There will be an empty seat in the stands.

The photo is his oldest grandson after a great hit during one game.