Kathryn Cramer was married to David Hartwell for decades, and though they’d been in the midst of “a collaborative divorce” for four years, they were still close friends and still married.
Hartwell, one of science fiction’s most prominent editor, anthologist, collector, dealer, and personality, died yesterday from a brain bleed.
Kramer’s post tells the story of David’s last days, and the wrenching feeling of losing your best friend and spouse. Our sincere condolences go out to her.
David and I had been working on what’s called a collaborative divorce for about four years, and had worked a lot of things out. (We are still married.) I was expecting to be able to live down the street from my good friend David—at just the right distance—for the next twenty years. His house is in the center of town overlooking the lake. Mine is at the orchard with a view of the Adirondacks.
And instead he has had the audacity to die.
Tuesday, at 3:53 PM, he texted me Now at Orchard with Liz. … Moving some bookcase units.
Liz was making herself lunch. She heard a horrible crash. David had lost his balance and fallen down the stairs backwards from the top step. He was sprawled on the steps snoring and bleeding out one of his ears. There was a Globe Wernike section on top of him.
An artery in his brain had blown out, causing a massive brain bleed. He never regained consciousness. The glass of the door didn’t break.
While I was at the hospital yesterday signing dreadful papers, Heather and her husband Jason and the kids took down the Christmas tree. Heather washed all the dishes.
David, the living room is all clean and vacuumed. You can come home now. Please.
Come home. We miss you.
Til Death Did Us Part
[Kathryn Cramer]
(via Making Light)