Tragedy has a way of bringing people together.
With all due respect, what you have is merely an analysis of Dan’s Facebook and his friends’ comments.
Ben had friends that came into his life at various times - in different decades, during different activities/interests in his life. They come from multiple states. He had friends of every race, friends of many different sexual orientations/identifications, friends that were much older, & a few friends that were younger than he.
To suggest that acknowledgment of the many souls that gathered on social media in order to grieve together is the very same thing as all of Ben’s friends being “well connected” to one another in daily life is to suggest that you do not know how far reaching and extensive Ben’s friendships were. That is something all together different. We are talking great depth here.
Consider for a moment that Ben’s friendships ranged from a wealthy senior who recently celebrated a milestone birthday (+ her adult children) he was a personal assistant to in Newport Beach & Las Vegas, friends he met whilst working at the Ritz Carlton prior to taking the personal assistant position, friends he acquired while living outside Arizona, college friends, high school friends, friends from his grade school years, friends from his church, friends from volunteer position(s) he held, people he regularly traveled with, people he befriended while traveling … And that just scratches the surface.
Now, if you think all of those people are in one close circle of friends who regularly communicate and hang out with one another, you are mistaken. I have known Ben longer than Sue & Dan. When I hung out with Ben it was by usually by myself.