Is it just me? (spoiler: kinda depressing)

You know what bothers me? When I hear someone talk about an avatar friend in SL that dies in rl. It always hits me just like the rl news. It all started for me with Ginny Talamasca (if you're new to SL and don't know of her, google the name). And then there's the airplane scripter (can't remember his name) who was so well-loved in SL that his friends have held memorials. And I think his son took over his script work. And my neighbor lady, who's sky platform was next to my skybox (which was annoying because I went up there for solitude but nevermind), made the most *beautiful* monument for someone. She made a tombstone, which had 'RIP' carved in it, an avatar pic of a man and woman, and it was sitting on a little mound of grass in the sky. Above it was a rainbow. I think maybe a cross too. I was so *touched* by this. Christian figured she had a friend leave SL. No, it was much too heartfelt for that, I think it memorialized a real death. :( Why does this effect me so? I think it's because we come into SL with a degree of anonymity, and although we KNOW there are real people behind the avatars, there's still something infinite about someone's pixelated self on the screen. Thoughts anyone?