Editor's Note: Grief Blankets Small Town As Friends, Neighbors Bid Farewell to Frank McBride

The wake for Frank McBride, 34, who died last week after his pickup was hit by a Long Island Rail Road train, brought literally hundreds of heartbroken relatives, friends and colleagues out to bid farewell to a man remembered for his bright smile and open heart.

Despite the long wait in a line that snaked along outside the Costner-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue on Monday, friends and loved ones stood patiently for the chance to say good-bye to a young man who had so much life and love still ahead to live.

Small town life in Southold is known and cherished for many things — open space and rich agricultural land, bucolic vistas and quaint shops.

But the true hallmark of the life that's held so close to our hearts is the community itself — the residents and families and friends who touch our hearts every day. The bonds that keep us close, in good times and bad.

In our small town, we know everyone at the IGA, the post office, the drugstore and local restaurants. A trip out to the store always means a friendly smile and conversation, laughter and sadly, tears.

Based on the hundreds who turned out yesterday and waited for hours to pay their respects to Frank McBride, it's easy to say that he was richly and well-loved, a familiar face at the town's transfer station who always had a smile and a kind word, a dedicated Cutchogue firefighter who upheld a long tradition in his family of giving back to the community. He was a beloved and bright thread in the fabric of the Southold canvas.

When tragedy strikes, the entire North Fork aches with sorrow, sharing one another's pain and reaching out in any way possible to help. We mourn together and slowly, we help one another to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives, offering words of comfort and an unwavering outpouring of support.

The past year has seen unspeakable tragedy, from the horrific limo crash last July to a bridegroom killed on his honeymoon — awful, horrifying accidents that leave scars on our spirits as we struggle to carry on after inconsolable heartbreak.

Last week's tragedy sparked a sea of grief that seemed to overwhelm as it blanketed the area. He was too young, friends said, too much in love with his beautiful wife and too beloved by his family and friends to be lost so soon.

And yet. Life is filled with uncertainty, with no promises of tomorrow and sometimes staggering challenges to face every day. While tragedy is sadly a reality, Frank's loss hit hard, and cut deep.

Together, the community mourned, attending a flower-filled wake and then a funeral service Tuesday at Our Lady of Ostrabrama Church on Depot Lane in Cutchogue with Fire Department Honors; interment followed at the Sacred Heart Cemetery.

"Father Joe did a great job keeping the service light and positive. I've never seen anything like the number of people that turned out to pay their respects to Frank's wife, parents, and siblings," said his friend Valerie DeFio. "It is a true testament to the number of people's lives he touched everyday. I will miss him dearly."

On the day he was laid to rest, Frank McBride's firehouse was cloaked in black under a bright blue sky. His fellow firefighters and EMTs flew a large flag high in his honor. Friends shared photos and memories on social media, reflecting on deep sorrow.

Even town officials were deeply impacted by his loss: The town's transfer station, where Frank worked, was closed until noon to give his colleagues time to attend the funeral service.

That's how it is, in a small town. Faced with monumental tragedy, neighbors and friends close ranks and offer an ironclad support system, bringing food and tissues and memories to share.

When a loss impacts one family, it touches all of us. We have cried this week, laughed at stories of Frank's life, showed up in force even when no words could suffice to bridge the aching chasm of pain.

Together, Frank's family and colleagues stood strong in the face of heart-rending loss; together, they will continue to support his family in the gray and sad days ahead. So many tears this week in Southold Town, but also, so much love. So much friendship and so many years shared.

Frank died too young, it's true, but the legacy he left was long. And no doubt, in Southold Town, where friends are family and memories run deep, it's clear that he made a lifelong impression. Each and every friend who stood outside that funeral home Monday, they'll remember. He was one of ours, and his loss has left all of us with an aching wound that may take what seems like forever to heal.

But in the end, we are all better for having known Frank McBride, for having heard his laughter and seen his eyes twinkling as he went about happily doing his work at the recycling center.

His loss, so young, opened eyes and hearts: "Tonight my husband and I went to a wake for a young man who was in the prime of his life,so much of life and love ahead of him. Family and friends are torn apart emotionally not knowing what to say to each other, the heart-wrenching looks given, the tears and tissues were hand and hand. So sad, so heartbreaking to know you won't see this genuinely nice guy again — well not in this life time, anyway," said Donna Burden, who has known Frank since he was in high school and she worked as a lunch lady, then took the post of substitute teacher assistant.

Frank, she said, has always been a nice guy, joking and smiling and so very genuine.

"All the petty stuff we all deal with on a daily basis, does it really matter?" she asked. " So, maybe we were late getting dinner on the table, late getting to work, late getting to the movies or paying a bill, or maybe we've spelled a word wrong. Maybe someone annoys you. Big deal. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter. You are still here to live another day. Kiss that loved one, hug that friend you are grateful for. Take that vacation. Do what makes you happy. You may not have that chance again." She added, "Frank was the kind of guy, he would go the extra mile for you."

Frank McBride was one of the good guys. He'll be missed forever.