Well said, Alien Jesus. My friend od'd months ago, and this is the perfect, first-hand synopsis of it.  Especially the part about anger.

If you fix his back, you may well ruin his glorious voice/career.

Got on here just to say the same thing.  An unfashionable choice, Mr. Harris, and i love you all the more for it.   (i'm actually a fan of that '500 miles' cover too.)   And, even MORE unfashionably, i feel the same (optimistic) resignation you do concerning afterlives.