To A Lost Friend

[RadioRob]

I've planned to write this message for nearly a month and I've sat down to put my thoughts to "paper" more than a dozen times.  Each time that I've done so however...  I found what I wrote to be inadequate.  Nothing that I've been able to write has adequately reflected what I feel actually deserves to be said.  

So instead I’m just going to write for a few moments and say what I would if we were having lunch together.

I never had the opportunity to meet you previously.  Living on the east coast, I was never really out in your neck of the woods so we never had a chance to meet face to face.  However I've had an opportunity to watch you and your impact on the community as a whole.  

You were a mentor and a friend to hundreds upon hundreds of people.  And while you could have the temper of a devil at times, you was fiercely loyal and would do anything for those around you.  

I'll always remember the Grinch that would make it's appearance at Christmas...   

I'll also remember you telling me that I should not take this too seriously.  That I should instead just go with the flow and enjoy life.  

Over the last year, my level of respect for you has gone up dramatically.  I've had a chance to see first hand everything that you used to do on your own.  Doing it all myself would have been virtually impossible... without @Cooper and the rest of our moderating team, I would have most likely thrown in the towel long ago.  Your energy seemed to be endless, so it was especially hard for me to know we lost you to COVID.  I had always pictured you going on forever as you had always been larger than life to me.  

Daddy...  I hope that I've made you proud.  While I can certainly never be "you", I pray that you've been able to rest peacefully knowing the thing you worked so hard to support continues to live on.  

One day when it's my turn to leave this earth, I hope we can reminisce together and raise a glass to celebrate a legacy.  

[+ Tygerscent]

In your own words, Daddy: Blessed Be~ 

[+ keroscenefire]

I never met Daddy in person. But my online interactions were always very friendly. He also personally wrote me a note after the first time I supported the site. He always went above and beyond to support this community. We should all be grateful for his legacy.

[+ Orin]

How do you remember someone who has affected so many people in so many ways over so many years? Is it by seeing the ways in which his guidance and support of people he knew through this site's predecessor reflected that influence to others? Is it from a feeling of kinship among people who were once strangers and who have become members of a community?

For me, he was, at one time or another, a friend, a fellow programmer, a business partner, a housemate, an adversary, and a fellow traveller on a spiritual journey. He made no secret of who he really was to those he trusted. His flamboyance was epic, just ask anyone who saw him traipsing around Microsoft. But that was just the public version of him. He turned it up to 11 when in character as his clown or drag personnae. You should have seen him in that custom robe with flames.

[marylander1940]