Honestly, I think everyone has their own trials and obstacles to overcome. Some people are given a mental illness, some women are given the inability to conceive. Anyone who thinks their life is wonderful and nothing bad has ever happened to them just have something huge on the horizon. We all have trials we are supposed to overcome while here on earth.

To answer the OP, I will say that my church doesn't believe in Hell. Well, okay, there IS a hell, but it is nearly impossible to get there from Earth. Basically to go to Hell you have to denounce Christ even though you have a first-hand knowledge of his existence. My church believe in modern revelation. The founder of our church had a vision from heavenly Father and Christ. Essentially, one has to have a vision along those lines, and STILL say Christ isn't real. The vast majority of people on earth will never have the opportunity to even do that, and so the vast majority can never go to Hell.

As for the other people, there are three levels of Heaven that the people are divided into. It's kind of complicated and a lot to type out, but the basic gist is: the Holy Spirit is in the 3rd Kingdom, or the "lowest." The Holy Spirit and Christ are on the second level, and all three Heavenly Beings are on the 1st level. So we are not alone or without guidance when we get to Heaven, but who we have with us in terms of Divinity depends on our choices. Oh, and no one goes to any of those levels until everyone on the Earth has come and gone. So until then we're just kind of hanging out in a waiting room. While in that room we get taught the things that Christ needs to teach us, and we are free to decide if we want to accept it or not. At the final judgement, we can choose to go to Heaven, or Hell.

So my church leaders would tell you that your dear friend is in a waiting room, probably chilling with any of his deceased friends or family members, waiting for the final Judgement, and being taught the Word of Christ (the things he didn't know already). How he will be judged is based on the Lord, Christ, and how he chooses to accept the knowledge he's being given in the waiting room.