Raphael Spindell

I recently caught up with an old friend of mine, Ralph, who, as it turns out, has been caught up in an incredibly tragic and heartbreaking story.

I found links to the story on ScaryNY and BabyReference.com, in addition to Ralph's responses to the situation on Fine? Why Fine? and a mail archive.

Other links describing the tragedy include:

- a petition for help
- a plea for assistance
- an explanation of the events from Ralph's son's mother

It's such a shame. For someone who had such an emotionally traumatizing upbringing he's an incredible intellectual prodigy. It's understandable considering his childhood history that he would find interest in the gothic scene where many outcasts, self-imposed and otherwise, find solace, identity and affiliation. It's ironic that this past phase of his life would blemish his identity and play a part in an escalating chain of events that ultimately led to him loosing everything, particularly his family.

This was a guy with seemingly unlimited potential, and mostly humble aspirations, trying to do the best he could with the little that the world had to offer. Few would have been able to acquire the potential that he did with so much stacked against him.

The tragedy that overcame him is a horrible nightmare of an example of a society going terribly wrong in its self-righteousness and ignorance.

My heart goes out to him and I wish him the best.