heartbreaking: r.i.p. brandon haskins

The other day I got a message on Facebook from Chad Oler, somebody I hadn’t met before.

Hugh,

One of our mutual Facebook friends, Brandon Haskins, was murdered yesterday – shot to death by his step father in Troy, Ohio. His last Facebook post was just a couple of hours before it happened… he posted your drawing, ‘Life is too short not to do something that matters’. I am a small screen printer and have been asked by one of his friends to print a t-shirt for other friends and family with some kind words and, if possible, you art. No profit will be made and there will be absolutely no self-promotion on my part. Is it possible?

Thank you.

Chad Oler

So of course, I let Chad go ahead and make the t-shirt design (see above). On the other side of the shirt are printed the words, “Grace Happens”, which is a lovely little sentiment.

I hadn’t really met Brandon before, either, other than letting him friend me on Facebook. And now he’s gone; he was only 23 years old. What a truly heartbreaking story.

My deepest condolences to his family.