Re: The Widow Lewis At It Again

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:31 PM 9/12/03 -0400, Kim Malo wrote:

> At 09:21 AM 9/12/2003 -0400, Way Of The Ray wrote:
> >  Just give it up lady. Be happy you got a huge insurance payoff.
> > Other people who loose their loved ones aren't so lucky
>
> I don't often wholeheartedly agree with Ray, but he's dead on here. While 
> all these serial lawsuits have done is the opposite of what she claims 
> she's trying to do, which is to restore Reggie's reputation. Talk of drugs 
> was little but a murmur, with people concentrating more on the tragedy 
> until she started this. Although back to the drugs - FWIW, I've always 
> wondered if any of Reggie's problems go back to damage done in utero from 
> his addicted mother, especially with his brother also having heart 
> problems. Anyway, while one lawsuit was probably inevitable and seen as 
> such, this refusal to let it go does no own any good.
>
> Donna isn't stupid, even as she continues to act stupid about this. I 
> don't think it's just about money. All I can figure is that she's trying 
> desparately to get official  endorsement that it's all someone else's 
> fault and her own role in Reggie's care had nothing to do with his death. 
> Whether just for herself or to prove something to her kids and/or Reggie's 
> family, with whom she never got along. She's never going to get that though.
> Kim

In addition to the drug question is the fact that when he initially 
collapsed, the doctors at the hospital told him the problem was 
serious.  The Celtics' team doctor said it was serious.  But Reggie kept 
shopping for second opinions until he found one he agreed with.  Then, he 
kept relevant medical information to himself.

Frankly, I'm amazed the insurance policy even paid at all given his obvious 
refusal to treat his condition seriously.  Various doctors, including 
Mudge, tried to minimize the question of drug use--mostly, I think, for the 
sake of Reggie's kids--but they couldn't very well ignore it.  Donna made a 
big deal of it.  She kept pushing and if there's a public perception of 
Reggie Lewis as a drug user, it's because of her.

I keep trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe she just lost it 
when he died. It does happen.  But at this point, I'm impressed at the 
restraint shown by Dr. Mudge in not filing charges of his own against Donna 
for harassment.  His rep is ruined by the repeated trips to court.  I'm 
sure his legal fees are impressive after ten years of this.

About the only positive in all this is that Reggie isn't around to see this 
idiocy take place in his name.