To think people really should verify where they get their info from BEFORE passing it around?

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Stuck at work. Twunt also at work. No way of getting in touch with him immediately.

I get a text message from my sister simply asking "Are you alright?" I reply, then notice she has tried to phone me several times so reply again asking what's up. She then asks if I have heard anything from Twunt recently. I reply he messaged me an just over hour ago and ask why. At this point she rings the shop and gently suggests that I try to get in touch with him again because people at his local are asking my other sister (who works there) if she is okay following the recent death of her BIL at his workplace

Obviously being at work he could neither answer my call or my messages straight away to confirm his aliveness.

Now, he's not exactly my favourite person atm, but I don't wish him dead. I spent 15 horrible minutes feeling sick, I still do feel a bit shaken, all because people didn't bother to check their facts/wait for official news before sticking their beaks in.

It is customary to wait to hear from relatives/official sources before passing on condolences, surely?

This happened to a relative of mine once.

He bumped into someone who told him that they had heard he was dead!

Maybe someone with a similar name died and people put two and two together then came up with five?

The first Twunt knew of his sad demise was when I suggested he ring his local and let them know there was no need to mourn his passing.

It could be someone with a similar name. I hope it's no-one, just a misunderstanding of some kind. Then again, if I find out this is someone's idea of a joke, they'll be wishing they were dead once I'm done then

Did you manage to get in touch with him and confirm he is OK, D0oin? Fingers crossed everything is OK.

And yes, people should wait for official confirmation before they start sending messages like that.

Yes he's okay, he thought it was amusing and sent me a picture of his paper cut in reply to "Are you okay because people are saying you've been involved in an accident?"

My mother was offered sympathies for her own passing. She was in a local shop and a lady grasped her hand and said I am sorry to hear about Mrs Smith, lovely woman. My DM said I am Mrs Smith, to which they lady said Are you not a cousin?

Some people are so eager to spread 'news' that its usually wrong.

I once went to school (girls school) and was given sympathy at my brothers death - apparently the day before he'd been shot in the head by a boy in his class (at his boy's school). Odd as he'd been very much alive at breakfast that morning. Rumor then changed to he'd been knee capped... again, he was walking rather well! Turned out a boy took an air rifle to school and fired it at a wall, db was in a different room when it happened!

The only time I've ever heard of it happening it was actually true. My mum was out clubbing with her friend, celebrating her friend's 21st, when someone walked up to the friend and said something along the lines of "Don't you think you should be home with your family considering they've just pulled your brother's body out of the docks?" She'd gone straight out from work, her parents had chosen not to tell her, to let her enjoy her birthday before turning her world upside down

Some people are so clueless.

Oh my goodness - what a sad story