I don't know enough about kayaking to have judged him as "stupid" though. It may have been something that he would have normally been competent at but something freakish happened.

I just found out that a friend of mine has a few months to live. We grew up together and he is as close to me and my family that he is considered one of us. He has loved life but is not in shape to do many of the things he wanted to do before he died. His last months will be spent in much quieter and less exciting activities than he would have wished. My whole view of the concept of getting a chance to live like you were dying has changed. That your cousin died doing something he loved doesn't sound like such a bad way to go. For him at least. I am still sorry for the rest of your family. But maybe his last day was one of his best?

Sorry for you loss and especially his mother's. I hope that she is able to cope and find a perspective that makes it less painful.

Love,
Teresa