duo_maxwell_1017
Super Freak
Yesterday I lost my best friend and fellow 1/6 Hot Toys Iron Man collector. His name is Barrett Pote, and he was only 43 when he died of apparent heart attack. He is my wife's cousin, even though we weren't blood related he still treated me like I am one of his blood cousins. He leaves behind his wife of 5 years Andrea Pote. Both Barrett and Andrea have a daughter together name Madison.
When I found out that he had a heart attack, and was in the hospital I was pretty shocked. Barrett was only 43 how could someone that young have a heart attack. Barrett was a firefighter for Engine 3 in Nutley, New Jersey, he was a custodian at Nutley High School, and he also was a Superintendent for the apartment complex where he lived. Barrett was working in one of the apartments where he passed out. Ambulance was called and he was revived. While in the hospital Barrett was on a ventilator. Barrett suffered another heart attack, and did not make it.
Barrett and I were really good friends, I had him as a groomsmen in my wedding. And I was a groomsmen in his wedding. We both have a daughter that are 7 months apart. He was the first person to introduce me to Hot Toys. Iron Man Mark VII was the first Hot Toys figure that I would own. Whenever we saw each other we would talk about what Iron Man figures we recently acquired, what Iron Man figures that were coming out. We always compared notes to make sure that we weren’t missing any armors.
I am having a very difficult time dealing with this. I don’t have a lot of friends. Barrett was my only real friend. I worry how Barrett’s wife is going to cope with the loss? How is his daughter Madison going to deal with the loss of her father? At times I worry about my own mortality. What are my wife and daughter going to do if something happens to me? I go through times where I am ok, and I am able to function at work. Then there are times where I think about him or something that we always talked about, and I would break down crying.
We’ve always talked about going to San Diego Comic Con, and how much money we would need to save up for spending. We also talked about going back to New York Comic Con, we went there in 2012. But now we can never go. There are times since his passing where I thought I should sell all of my Iron Man figures, because the Iron Man figures remind me of him, and without him telling me about Hot Toys I would never own any of them. I am more leaning to keeping them all in his honor. I just need to get some bookshelves to display them.
Barrett I will never forget you or the friendship we had. I will truly miss you.
A gofundme page has been created for Andrea and Madison. https://www.gofundme.com/please-help-the-pote-family
When I found out that he had a heart attack, and was in the hospital I was pretty shocked. Barrett was only 43 how could someone that young have a heart attack. Barrett was a firefighter for Engine 3 in Nutley, New Jersey, he was a custodian at Nutley High School, and he also was a Superintendent for the apartment complex where he lived. Barrett was working in one of the apartments where he passed out. Ambulance was called and he was revived. While in the hospital Barrett was on a ventilator. Barrett suffered another heart attack, and did not make it.
Barrett and I were really good friends, I had him as a groomsmen in my wedding. And I was a groomsmen in his wedding. We both have a daughter that are 7 months apart. He was the first person to introduce me to Hot Toys. Iron Man Mark VII was the first Hot Toys figure that I would own. Whenever we saw each other we would talk about what Iron Man figures we recently acquired, what Iron Man figures that were coming out. We always compared notes to make sure that we weren’t missing any armors.
I am having a very difficult time dealing with this. I don’t have a lot of friends. Barrett was my only real friend. I worry how Barrett’s wife is going to cope with the loss? How is his daughter Madison going to deal with the loss of her father? At times I worry about my own mortality. What are my wife and daughter going to do if something happens to me? I go through times where I am ok, and I am able to function at work. Then there are times where I think about him or something that we always talked about, and I would break down crying.
We’ve always talked about going to San Diego Comic Con, and how much money we would need to save up for spending. We also talked about going back to New York Comic Con, we went there in 2012. But now we can never go. There are times since his passing where I thought I should sell all of my Iron Man figures, because the Iron Man figures remind me of him, and without him telling me about Hot Toys I would never own any of them. I am more leaning to keeping them all in his honor. I just need to get some bookshelves to display them.
Barrett I will never forget you or the friendship we had. I will truly miss you.
A gofundme page has been created for Andrea and Madison. https://www.gofundme.com/please-help-the-pote-family