It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write today to tell you about the death of one of Greg's very best friends. Dennis Roma was 51, strong, healthly, athletic. He loved golf and had just finished his second round for the week, last Wednesday, when he jumped on the back of a golf cart driven by another friend to head back to the clubhouse at Muirfield Country Club. Suddenly the golfers in the cart heard a sickening crack. Dennis had fallen off the back of the cart smacking his head on the pavement. He had made no sound nor any attempt to brace himself. His good friend, immediately called 911. The paramedics arrived and set up flairs for lifeflight to land on the course, but there was no helicopter available. A helicopter was summoned from a distance county and the paramedics took Dennis to the closest hospital (Dublin Methodist) to get emergency treatment while awaiting the helicopter. While there, doctors determined that Dennis had fractured his skull but the skull was still intact and swelling seemed minimal. However, Dennis became combative, although unconscience, so doctors chose to medically induce a coma so that he would not injure himself further. Dennis was then lifeflighted to Riverside Hospital.
The first day he seemed stable, but doctors could not determine what had caused his fall in the first place due to his injuries. By the second day, swelling in the brain was increasing and there was bleeding in the brainstem (which is not typical). Doctors surgically inserted a monitor to measure the pressure. Complications began surfacing such as a temperature, and blood pressure issues. By the third day the swelling was causing so much pressure in his skull that doctors chose to perform an emergency craniechtomy, where they cut away a piece of the skull to relieve the pressure. This seems to be a common, though very risky and controversial procedure. Dennis passed away not 12 hours later.
Although I have seen and dealt with a lot of death in my life, this one feels particularly unsettling. Maybe it is due to the suddeness, maybe the trauma of it, maybe that Dennis was so healthly, robust, and full of life, maybe it was that he was such a close and constant companion of Greg's. It was probably all of those.
I am so saddened for Joanie and Dennis's three beautiful girls (all college age and older) and what their daily life will be like without him. I ache for them. I ache for Greg. He will have repeated and constant reminders that his friend is no longer here to share with him... Thursday golf league outings, drinking at the Dub Pub, going to Ohio State football games, attending monthly Knight's meetings and going to Mary Kelly's afterwards, using their season tickets to the Buckeye basketball home games, joking, laughing, calling or texting each other everyday.
Dennis you will be terribly missed. You meant probably more than you know to us. May you be smiling down on us from Heaven with a beer in your hand and a golf course behind you!! We Love you!
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