What to say to my children. Someone has died but we never met him.

[Whatjusthappenedthere]

I thought about posting this in bereavement but then thought better of it. This is not exactly light hearted but neither does it hold the same seriousness when measured agsinst the loss of a loved one.
About a year ago my iPhone , via the maps app started telling me how far away we were parked from a location with a very amusing name. Think along the lines of “ Rabbit Ron” but funnier. My kids found this hilarious, looked him up and his house backed on to our garden. For a year they have asked “how far away from Rabbit Ron are we today”? ... we were recently queuing for a ride at Alton Towers and the phone piped up we were x amount of time from RR . They are so invested in our little joke they want to walk around and meet Rabbit Ron. His house is literally five minutes from ours. I have no idea why my phone suggests his location or how far away we are from his home but it does.
I found out today “Rabbit Ron” died two weeks ago. I’m honestly sad , I never met him but his name thanks to Google maps has been a part of my children’s lives for a year. He gave us so much laughter.
My aibu is do I tell the children. Either way the reminders still seem to be coming. Do I laugh along or ignore the requests of “how far away are we today Mummy!”.
For context, they lost a much loved Grandad this year. They understand grief but all the same it feels a bit crap. For me as well. What do I say next time Google maps reminds me how far away we are. .

I get what you mean op. Every time I get into the car I get a notification on my phone telling my I’m whatever distance from “John Smith” took me a year to figure out it was a butchers I’d been to once! Dont bother telling them, no need for them to know

At least one thread on MN makes my day...every day.

God there's no joy on MM tonight!

I understand what you mean OP. I would continue to enjoy the silliness of rabbit Ron and his location proximity. Make him a mythical creature if the kids want to meet him. A wizard or something if they are the right age? Don't tell them he died. It takes all the innocent joy out of it.

I understood OP, and I understand why you would feel it was the respectful thing to do to tell your son, as behind your game of seeing how far away RR was, there was an actual person who you now feel a connection with because you know his story.

I wouldn’t though. I’d say RR moved away -think of somewhere beautiful- and have a very small ‘goodbye to RR’ tribute.

I get it. I would be tempted to gently tell your DS.

There are all sorts of people from my childhood that have found themselves in our family lore, but who we don’t actually know and who don’t know us! Like Leopard Lady - we would always pass her when we drove to school and used to joke about how early or late we were depending on how far down the road she was, and named because she once wore a leopard print coat

I would tell them he has moved, there is no need to upset them.

And although our gardens back onto each other unless I jumped his 8 ft fence he is in fact a five minute walk away via the quickest available route on foot.

@tempester28. Well she wont be lying tbf.

I don't get it. People don't show up in Google maps, just locations.

He is not a real person to your child so there is no need to explain about his death.

Instead, the next time they ask tell them the google maps won't tell you anymore and make up another funny game for them to play. They'll forget in no time

Presumably he, or someone who knows him, added themselves as a location on Google. I would guess they may be self-employed.

My parents house shows up on Google with my dad’s name because it’s picked it up as the location of his ‘business’, but the business name is just my dad’s name with his profession after it.

Just tell them google maps have updated and its no longer telling you info about this 'person'/location.

@3Luckystars 'Remember Jesus of Nazareth, that gorgeous fella in the film, He is actually that old fat fella in Holby City with the tight periwinkle curls.'
For fuck sake! WHY WOULD SHE TELL ME THAT!
I suppose she thought it was information, and that I would want to know. No I didn't and I still don't want to know bad news. I've enough shit to be dealing with.

I get it. I’d say his name isn’t showing up any more so he’s probably moved or taken himself off the map.

I don't get it. People don't show up in Google maps, just locations.

^ this

You were right not to put this in bereavement

I wonder if you could find another fun name to divert them onto? As in, "oh that's odd, Ron isn't on the maps today, but look 'Percy pig' is! Haha!!" And from then on only mention Percy Pig.

Just tell them google maps have updated and its no longer telling you info about this 'person'/location.

Absolutely this

Why upset your kids for no reason? Were you actually going to visit as that could be really intrusive. Surely you just tell your kids ‘no we aren’t going to visit some man we don’t know as he likely won’t want to be bothered by people because they find his name funny on Googlemaps’.
Also puzzled by the name being like Rabbit Ron but funnier. Rabbit Ron isn’t funny is it? Clearly I’m missing something there? And struggling to think of a name that could possibly be along those lines (what lines?) 😂

I know what you mean.. for example, if I get in my car at a particular time of day then google maps will tell me it's '1 hour and 43 minutes to local business' (our house backs onto it) or if it thinks I'm going to the caravan, it will also do the same.

My phone tells me locations not people.

Badger Bert?

I am not joyless, and do like a laugh, but this is just ridiculous.

Get a grip OP. Seriously.

I really didn’t realise how confusing this would come across. We live on a housing estate. Maps identified “rabbit Ron” ( actual name much funnier which is why it stuck in all our minds) as a location we were never far from. He was a real neighbour we never met. For a year for no reason maps sent us our location in relation to his. It was funny. We joked about never being “more than 500 metres from RR” or never more than 2 hours from RR.... ok, maybe I that makes me sound a bit weird but it was a family joke hence the laugher. Instead of asking “ are we there yet” when heading home the kids asked how far away we were RR. I was walking the dogs today ( in real life) and as we went past his home I was told quiteboutbofcthe blue he had died.

Online meets real world I guess. A bit confusing. Not worth a huge amount of fuss but maybe just a small amount of dignity next time his location is flagged on my phone. Until now we would all laugh in the comfort that we were only so many miles from “rabbit Ron”

If it helps his real name was Budgie Dave. Much funnier. And I will miss having a laugh on his account. RIP Budgie Dave. Xxxx

I really didn’t realise how confusing this would come across. We live on a housing estate. Maps identified “rabbit Ron” ( actual name much funnier which is why it stuck in all our minds) as a location we were never far from. He was a real neighbour we never met

Of course it's confusing. One minute your maps identifies a location and the next it's turned into a real neighbour

So was it just his house which showed up or as the man moved about in day to day life did the little pin move about?