I was searching the internet tonight for old friends. From time to time, I google old friends and acquaintances to see where they are, what they are doing, etc. I had a buddy in College that I made fast friends with named Hudson Bradford. He was extremely talented. GREAT guitar player, song-writer, thinker. We spent a lot of time huddled in corners at college parties solving the world's problems.
I've googled him probably half a dozen times since I last saw him in 1998 in Athens, GA without any luck. Tonight I finally got a hit. Actually, it was more like a sledge hammer. I found a transcript for his Funeral Service! There were no details in the funeral service about how he died, but there were some hints that lead me to believe that he committed suicide.
How do people reach the place in their lives where they feel that the only solution is to end it? I'm not being condescending at all. Suicide is a common reality, so it's obviously not very difficult for people to plummet to these depths. Talented, smart, beautiful, successful people end their own lives every day. Hudson was all of these things.
Is it a loss of purpose, hope, faith, joy, love, all of the above? What!?
The worst thing about suicide is the long list of unanswered questions. I'm sad that I will never get to see Hudson again in this life. I'd love to ask him a few.
my beautiful baby boy!
Subscribe To
Posts
Comments
About Me
- Wade Hinton
- MS, United States
- I'm a 51 year old Husband of one wife and Father of 3 gorgeous beauties. The only thing that would go further in defining who I am than that is my faith in Jesus Christ. Above all else, I am a chosen and adopted Son of God and it doesn't get any better than that!!!
16 comments:
Hi. I'll occasionally google an old friend's name as well. I googled Hudson's name tonight because of an odd series of tangential reasons. Anyway, I knew Hudson from Kosovo. He worked there from about summer 1999 till just before he died. I don't recall the year. We worked together in 1999 and 2000, and then I saw him a couple of times when I went back to the province. He was a great guy with a ton of really hilarious stories.
So you know, he did kill himself. I had heard about it not long after the fact. I'm not sure exactly what happened in Kosovo after I left, but he got a bit off kilter while he was there. I tend to think he was trying too hard to solve the world's problems there and the realization that he couldn't do it was a bit too much for him.
He was a good guy to know in Kosovo. He was a lot of fun, and he saw the absurdity of the place. He wasn't always the best aid worker... he caused a lot of headaches sometimes. But we always got a lot of really good laughs from the stories afterwards. We worked together with a big NGO, but he went on to work for the UN after I left Kosovo. He was very committed to the people there, especially the Kosovo Serbs who were in a pretty tough spot from 1999 on. He learned Serbian, which isn't so common among international aid workers who were there, but it gave him the ability to communicate with the folks on the ground better than most. I think the Serbs he worked with were a bit harder than he was, and harder than he thought they were.
Well, I thought you might be interested in hearing what he was up to before the end. By the way, he put together a rock band in Kosovo and played at a couple of parties. He also played some blues and country one night after tying one on. He was a talented guy. I think of him fairly often and highly.
Best,
THANKS!! I spoke with another mutual friend not long after I posted this and got some details as to what went on.
Tragic indeed!
Hudson Bradford still lives as a contact in my hotmail address book. His death is marked by an email that still sits undeleted at the end of my inbox.
I also worked with Hudson in Kosovo. He came to Kosovo bright and eager to make a difference. He was smart, passionate and strong desire to make the world a better place. However, like the rest of us, he was not prepared for the lessons of Kosovo. It was hard to live amongst people suffering, being cold, and living amongst hate that daily caused people to cower in fear, houses to be burened and death. The hate of Kosovo was a hard reality that sucked the life out of a lot of good people.
My memory of Hudson is of him practicing his guitar on the doorstep of the guest house. The sun shining on him with the mountains in the back. I don't know the circumstances of him taking is his life. The path to suicide is degrading. I am saddened to think of Hudson living through that painful process.
Like the Wade, I found out late and by email. I cried. I cried for the timeI knew him. I cried because I didn't know him better. He led an amazing life before Kosovo that I knew nothing about. I cried because he was yet another victim of Kosovo. The war keeps killing. I bet he would be happy with Kosovo's independence.
I always meant to send a belated condolence card to his parents. I wouldn't know what to say. They raised a wonderful man who died to early. It sounds a bit hollow.
I knew Hudson well. He struggled for many years with manic depression/ bi-polar disorder. He tried bravely to beat this brutal illness, and sometimes thought that he should be able to conquer it on his own, without medication or assistance from anyone else. I am sorry that he wasn't able to find the help he needed to survive. He was a good man and a kind, talented, and idealistic soul.
Hello Wade,
I was on the internet and googled Hudson's name and came across your post. I am Hudson's older brother and we now live in Anderson, SC. Thanks for caring for Hudson. We miss him a lot especially my mother. Would be happy to talk about him if you wish...
Nate Bradford
Is this tragic story about a guy that used to teach english in Jackson, MS?
He was my 10th grade English teacher at Murrah in Jackson. What a great guy. My friends and I used to hang out with him and play guitar and go over the parallels of war and literature he was fascinated with how literature changed as war/battle methods became more chaotic.
I actually went to his wedding in Biloxi.
He was a pretty deep thinker.
I Goggled him today as I have always wondered what he was up to these days. He left a good mark on my life. He was an old southern soul.
I knew him at UGA when he was getting his M.A. He wore scarves a lot and wrote papers in which there were dream segments starring William Faulkner. I liked the him; he was one of a kind.
My daughter showed this to me this morning as we were remembering about my Son, Hudson. Thank you for the wonderful comments about him. All true. He came home from Kosovo a broken person and as someone said, he didnt want to be medicated. For ten years he kept his distance from us and broke our hearts. Having been such a loving and fun and loyal son for 21 years. Our hope and confidence is in his loyalty also to Jesus in his more sane moments and we trust to see him in glory.
Corinne Bradford
Aside from our memories, this website seems to be the only place keeping Hudson alive. I did not know he was bipolar. Sad to lose such a bright soul to such a painful and humiliating condition. As his mother said, I hope he is in a better saner place.
First my deepest sympathy goes out to Hudson's family. I knew Hudson as a teenager as we practiced,competed, played doubles together and traveled together to tennis tournaments. I will never forget us traveling to Pensacola Fla for a junior tournament and low and behold Hudson drew a guy from Las Vegas in the first round named Andre Agassi(To which we heard Andre would show up and play you in blue jeans). Needless to say Andre didn't show up and Hudson won by default. I remember Hudson as a kind,generous friend. Like several of the statements from before, Hudson was a deep thinker and was always very hard on himself when I saw him on the tennis court. I just thought of him as a perfectionist to a degree but then again that is a common thing in sports. I always remember his mom & dad being there and supporting him at his tournaments. It saddens me to hear the burdens he carried within himself but even as kids it struck me that he had such a strong faith. All my best to his family.....
M.Elliott
Wade-- I googled Hudson today after hearing a song he used to play for me. I also was shocked to hear of his passing. My heart aches for his family, and I am praying for them today--Dec. 3, 2012. Hudson and I worked together one summer at Yellowstone National Park in the cafeteria at Canyon. I spent most of my off time listening to him play the guitar and sing songs for me. I went to Auburn and he went to Ole Miss. I thought of him today as I was listening to a song called The Outlaw by Larry Norman that Hudson used to play for me. I wish I had a video of him playing the guitar!! He was super talented, and was a strong Christian in college. Lisa Gentry Allen
I know he is greatly missed by many. I saw nO signs of depression when I knew him, but he was an incredibly deep thinker as others have mentioned. We wrote letters to each other for a few years, but eventually lost touch. I'm so sad for his family.
Corinne,
My heart aches for your family as you spend hour 9th Christmas without Hudson on this Earth. I just Read about his passing today as I searched for him on the Internet. I was thinking I would find a video of hIm playing music, and was shocked to find his funeral announcement instead. Hudson and I worked together in the summer of 1989 at Yellowstone. He and I were close friends and worked in the cafeteria together. We had so much fun making the best of our job. I spent countless hours listening to him play his guitar and sing songs. He introduced me to the music of Rich Mullins and he learned to play some john Denver songs for me because those were songs my father used to play for me. Hudson was an amazing friend with a true love for the Lord, a heart for the lost, and a passion to change the world! I have thought of him many times over the years and heard of his marriage from a friend. Hudson and I were both born in 1969 just a few months apart. He inspired me to have a heart for missions and I'll never forget all he taught me that summer. We wrote a few letters but eventually lost touch. I wish he were still here, but hope one day to see him in Heaven. I am a strong Christian, and truly believe Hudson was too in the summer of 89. I will continue to pray for you and your family-- for all of his brothers and sisters. Much love, Lisa Gentry Allen
Sing songs
Hudson remains one of my favorite teachers from Murrah. He gave us a poetry assignment based on "The Sound of Silence". I still think of him when I hear that song. He was very passionate about his students. I hate that I can't reconnect with him as an adult. I'm very sorry to those who lost a son or a brother.
My friend,
Reaching out because I always remember Hudson this day.
I wish I could have done more for him.
Post a Comment