Remembrances

[Guy Fawkes]

I'm so very much touched by the out pouring we've received and it has been suggested that we create a separate thread. I agree and I want Hooboy's family to get a measure of what we thought of him.

 

Please, post your thoughts, your poems, and your condolences here. But, I want you to be discrete! Remember, this will be going to his family, most of which don't know about this side of his life.

 

I don't have the time to harvest from the other threads. So, if it's important to you, and it's something that you want his family to hear, move a copy into this thread.

 

Please to not reply to individual posts, I want each of you to create a top level post (I.e. Hit "Reply" only in this message) that says what you each individually want to say. If you start replying to each other, I will not have enough time to get it edited down in time.

 

Warning: I will be looking at every single word, multiple times, and I will remove and/or change anything that I feel would upset the family. I plan to have several of Hooboy’s closest friends review the document, and they too will be allowed to edit however they wish.

 

I will be a tyrant when it comes to following the rules for this thread. If you have 2nd thoughts, or want to revise your post, repost your message and send me an email mailto:daddy@male4malescorts.com that specifies which one to delete.

 

If you chose to abuse what I want this thread to be. I will deactivate your username until after the remembrance has been delivered. Forgive me, if I sound like a grumpy old man. But this is a man that over the last eight or so years, I have grown to respect and love as if he were my brother. I will not allow any hint of tarnish to creep into this.

 

A reminder, Please keep private information about Hooboy private. He gifted several of us with information that could cause problems for his families and friends. Please use Discretion, so that I don't have to edit it out.

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

In my communications with HooBoy I found him to be a loving, caring man with a heart of gold. Because of this site I have grown as a person (academically, socially and politically) and I have met some wonderful people through this site that I now call friends. This site's forums are a true example of what an e-community should be where people learn from one another and enjoy mutual fellowship.

 

My thoughts and prayers goes to his friends and family. My thoughts and prayers also go to Daddy and the rest of the moderators here who have worked with HooBoy all of this time.

 

Valley Dweller North

 

 

TIME

 

To realize the value of one year:

Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

 

To realize the value of one month:

Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

 

To realize the value of one week:

Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

 

To realize the value of one hour:

Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

 

To realize the value of one minute:

Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

 

To realize the value of one second:

Ask a person who has survived an accident.

 

To realize the value of one millisecond:

Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.

 

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

[BuckyXTC]

Now and then, in our lifetimes, the rare individual comes along who selflessly pursues a vision that results in changing many other lives for the better. Hooboy was one of those rare gems. His work has richly blessed my life, and I mourn his passing. For his closest family and friends, I hope you can take some solace in knowing that here was a man who made a difference because he lived his life with vision and passion and ultimately knew what was truly important.......other people.

 

A quote from Milton Mayeroff succinctly sums up my experience of Hooboy:

 

"In the sense in which a man can be said to be at home in the world, he is at home not through dominating, or explaining, or appreciating, but through caring and being cared for."

 

Hooboy leaves behind that grand legacy of caring, of having made a difference. While I'm feeling great sadness at his passing, I'm also experiencing a profound sense of gratitude for his gift of caring for me and others. We're all destined to move from mortal existence to whatever lies ahead, if anything does, so what we leave behind matters. Hooboy left a lot of good things to cherish and remember, and there will be healing in the remembrance.

 

God bless you, Hooboy.

[jackhammer91406]

Many others posting here have said things better than I will be able, but I needed to express my sadness and condolences to his family and friends, to express my gratitude to him for this site and the impact it had on me.

Most know that through this site exclusively, my life has been opened up to so many new friends and possibilities. My life is changed completely. For me , as others have said (and better), it was about contact with other like minded people.

 

In many ways, Hooboy introduced me to most of my closest friends, not only by providing this site, but more specifically, by giving me a place to find my identity and celebrate it.

 

I have lost the greatest friend I never met.

 

Thanks for everything Hooboy.

[joel304]

Hooboy was the most giving, loving and witty person I can think of. This, coming from someone that met this man in person once, and spoke via email on occassion. Best wishes to family and friends. We truly have lost a man of character and charm. RIP.

 

Joel

[Guest Tampa Yankee]

Hoo Boy was unusual man of a sensitive and shy nature and of good character with human flaws. I met HooBoy twice: once in Montreal a couple of years ago and then last year in NY. Two short encounters of 20-30 minutes each, one at a club and the other at a party. Prior to those face-to-face encounters my first personal introduction was a four hour phone call. I called at his request to discuss an issue related to a small financial contribution to his site. It took about ten minutes, if that. Then he was off to other subjects and before I knew it four hours had elapsed. He had a ball shooting the bull as did I.

 

Over the years, particularly early on, we exchanged emails occasionally mostly relating to my contributions to the site.

We had our ups and downs after I took him to task online a few years back. I learned how very sensitive a person he really was. We managed to re-establish cordial relations about a year later at that first meeting in Montreal and maintained them on a low level through our second meeting. So it was with real suprise on my part that after my posting to a thread about poor cell phone service and Canada service that Hoo Boy offered to bring me an unlocked cell phone from Hong Kong. He was about to leave HK in the next day or so and with all the last minute things he had to attend to I know he went out of his way to find me the phone he wanted me to have. His only regret was that he liked the phone he got for me better than his own. I offered to exchange but he would have none of that. That episode left a lasting impression on me.

 

I can't claim that I knew him well but I feel that I knew him well enough from our interactions over the years and from his online contributions for me to sense that he was a special individual, caring and charitable of heart, and that this web site was truly a labor of love for him. He touched my life with tangible benefit as only a few have. He provided an environment that gave me knowledge, entertainment, thoughful discussion, a microcosm of interesting personalities and acquaintances, and some very good personal friends that I would never have known otherwise. For that I am in his debt.

 

He truly was 'Amazing News' for me. This refers to what was probably my first substantive post on the MC in the Spring/Summer of 2000. The subject was Hoo Boy under attack. Some of the old timers may recall. Others may do a search if so inclined.

 

My deepest sympathy to his loved ones, friends, colleagues and all who mourn his passing.

[Guest ncm2169]

Sad news indeed.

 

Hooboy was a technological klutz who nonetheless harnessed the power of the internet and untold numbers of people worldwide have and will have had their lives positively affected for years to come as a result.

 

That's a mighty awesome legacy!

[Boston Guy]

HooBoy was a visionary, a man with an idea who, in the course of pursuing his idea, just happened to make a huge impact in the lives of countless guys literally around the world. He brought energy, humor, dedication and love to his work, and it showed.

 

I doubt very much that he really understood how much he has helped so very many people. I think that maybe most people didn't quite realize the impact that this one man had until today, the first day he isn't with us anymore. In fact, I think maybe many people didn't realize quite the impact he had on their own lives until today, when they suddenly, unbelievably, discovered he was gone and found a hard lump in their stomachs and more than one tear in their eyes.

 

Some men, if they're lucky, touch a few lives; Hooboy touched many. I'm very glad he was here with us for a while and offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. He'll be missed, by many of us.

 

Boston Guy

[KY_TOP]

There are times in life when we want to say something of meaning, but the shock of the moment lives us almost speechless. This is one of those times for me. Hooboy has had a tremendous impact upon many things in my life these last few years. Mainly by creating an avenue for me to meet and communicate with some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure to meet in my life. As I am filled with sadness I must remind myself of the joy he seemed to have in his travels, those he came in contact with, and the pleasure he had in living life as he wanted. Next week a group of friends shall gather together in Montreal.These men met each other and became friends because of the Avenue Hooboy created. I am one of those friends and I shall be honored to raise a glass to toast and celebrate the life of a man that helped create our friendship.

Hooboy, May you Rest in Peace...from some guy in KY.

[kriselix]

My deepest condolences to family and friends of a, clearly, remarkable man, who has changed and touched the lives of many around the world. He will be missed. I wrote this poem to let us remember that he is all around us...

 

 

HOME

 

 

Bright as the sun

And cool like the wind on my skin

A touch of the earth

The sounds that are heard,

I feel you my friend.

 

You're everywhere

In the sky in the air

In the green of the trees

I fall to our knees,

It ends so that life can begin

 

Though we often ask ourselves,"why?"

We hold to our faith in the light

We believe in the things we can't see

And we know where your spirit will be....

 

We look at the moon

At the splendid design of the stars

The material of earth

Like the giving of birth

It's part of us all

 

Revisit the past

To remember the warmth in his smile

Daddy's sun kissed boy

Mother's pride and joy

You live in our hearts

 

Though we often ask ourselves,"why?"

We hold to our faith in the light

We believe in the things we can't see

And we know where your spirit will be....

 

Home....

 

Now that you are gone

Love will carry on

With new hope in our lives

We will reunite

One day all will be new

We'll take a stand with you

We'll look into your eyes

As you help to lead us through

 

 

BY... and with love

Kristian Elixir LA

[tedbear]

Hooboy indirectly introduced me to several people I now consider friends. One man has touched and improved many lives.

 

Peace.

[noviceny]

This man has given me something that no one has ever given me before :

he has given me a voice. I did not know how important it was for me to express myself. I thought I could just go through life, helping others while I hid myself. This man gave me a community, where I could hear other voices and in return, use my own voice.

 

Family and friends, you have helped make Hooboy who he is and who he was, so I would like to thank you and thank him. Please know that he helped me, and I have always been the one to help others. Any good that I do, from this point on, will be partly due to him. By giving me a place to speak and to listen, he has done an absolute good.

Thank You

 

Love Jim

 

 

 

 

Let nothing disturb you ; let nothing frighten you ;

God alone is timeless and changeless

and nothing can withstand His love ;

not time, not death, not pain...

nothing can withstand His love.

~Saint Teresa of Avila~

[PacNW]

It must seem odd, reading comments from a lot of people you've never known, about someone many of us never met except through a computer, but who to you was part of your lives for years past. At that distance, without an obvious connection between us and you, our condolences may come off sounding hollow. Just know that Hooboy is that connection, and that the thoughts and expressions you are reading are sincere and reflect just a bare fraction of the community that is mourning his loss. He affected countless people for the better ... that is an enviable legacy. Thank you for sharing him with us.

[OneFinger]

July 23, 2001 is a day I'll always remember because that is when I met Hooboy in cyberspace.

 

It was a time when I was going through some personal challenges. Hooboy 's message center provided an outlet and a place for me to "chat" with others and develop on-line friendships.

 

A significant event that affected me was 9/11. I'll really appreciated Hooboy setting up a specific forum for people to process this tragedy. Although 9/11 was being discussed on a plethora of various web sites, it was Hooboy 's message center where I felt most comfortable sharing my feelings and fears.

 

Visiting Hooboy 's message center has been a daily ritual for me. I'm so glad I've saved his e-mails and messages to me over the past months. It's something I'll always have to remember a great man.

 

I'm not sure he really knew the hundreds of people his life has affected. As others have said, he was the best friend I never met face-to-face.

[marc anthony]

He was a personal friend to me... one whose company and internet interaction I cherished greatly.

 

I do not know how much better I made his life, but I know that he made mine much better. And I know that mine is NOT a unique situation. He improved the lives of so many people... both those whom he knew, and an innumerable population that he didn't know.

 

There can be no greater accomplishment. Leaving the world a better place because we lived is what we all strive to do.

[flguy]

Thank you Hooboy for finally, after almost 50 years, enabling me to come to terms with my real self. You gave me courage, understanding and knowledge through your site to explore my new world. A world I waited a lifetime to know. While we only communicated a couple of times by email, you were a person I would loved to have met. Your caring, compassion, and concern for others always seemed to be at the forefront of your life. Your sense of humor, as well as your cynicism always made me smile. But most of all you seemed to be a "Giver",a person always there for your friends and always there for those you didn't even know. Your love of life and travel will forever be a source of pleasureable rememberance for me. Finally Hooboy, thank you for ALL the wonderful people I have met and come to know, only because of you has this happened and enriched my life immensely.

 

My prayers are with you and your family, both biological and cyber, may peace truly be with you. Thanks You

[Tylom]

I will miss his sense of humor, honest and honorable outlook, and most of all his bravery. Where ever he is now, I hope they are thankful for the wonderful gift they have recieved. Because he was a gift both loved and painful in it's giving. I believe he will find as much joy as he is richly is owed. I know he gave more joy than anyone can be expected to.

Thank you HooBoy.

[jimbeaux]

Whenever I think of HooBoy I recall his tenacity. He fought against many obstacles to keep his dream alive. The best thing about dreams is that they can continue even when death interrupts.

[BigK]

My sad thoughts of Hooboy's passing are brightened at the thought of him lounging on a cloud in the great beyond with the Internet connection to beat all internet connections.

 

My thoughts also are full of sympathy for his family and close friends. Although I know it is unlikely that his true identity will be released with a funeral service anouncement, if it were released I envision nothing short of a State Funeral with unending flowers from all of us he befriended in cyberspace.

 

Rest in peaceful cyberspace my friend.

[Anton]

Dear Hooboy,

 

Quand le vent est ton oreiller, et les nuages tes couvercles ...

 

(When the wind is your pillow, and the clouds your blankets ...)

 

Some say that we all have a task on this globe, and that it's time to go, by the time we fulfilled our task. If that's true, then you fulfilled yours. I must say that you did it in an amazing way, and I am grateful for what you did and the way you did it.

 

I guess you can now look down at us from above, and see how we are trying to fulfil ours, maybe you even know which task each of us has. It must be fun to see us fool around, I wish I could have a glimpse.

 

You may be sorry that you're no longer able to enjoy the things you liked so much down here, but there must be other things up there that will make up for it.

 

I always say that when we die, we leave behind all the fortune and possessions we made down here, but what we take with us are the friendships we made while here.

 

You have something to look forward to.

 

Everything is said and done now, no more plans to make, no more planes to catch.

 

True angels leave early.

 

My very warmest, for always, Anton/Amsterdam.

[Houston Bonfires]

My heart is filled . . . with sadness, with gratitude, with respect, with remembrance, with love

 

Someday when we have conquered the waves, the winds, the tides and gravity we shall harness for God the energy of love and for the second time in the history of the world; Man will have discovered fire.

 

Thank you Hooboy for showing me a little glimpse of fire.

[+ Charlie]

E.M. Forster said that the essential element for a meaningful life was to "connect." Hooboy not only did that with us, he enabled and encouraged us to connect with one another. Out of ghosts in cyberspace, he created a genuine community of human beings. When I first came to his website, seeking only information and entertainment, I never imagined that it would eventually provide me with two of my closest flesh and blood friends as well as many other personalities who have become a part of my world. Many of us are better off because of his unexpected trajectory through our lives. He really did make a difference.

[happyguy2]

Dear Family and Friends of Hooboy,

 

I wish to express to all of you my profound sympathy on the loss of a truly extraordinary man.

 

I corresponded with him for the first time, just after 9/11, and he was deeply affected, as we all were. I sent him a cartoon which he posted on this site for the two following days. However, in the limited correspondence we had over the years, I dealt with a man who treated me as a friend, a privilege I had not earned, it seemed to me. He showed uncommon common sense, kindnes and generosity in all his writings.

 

But, what I am most grateful for, was what he created through this Message Center. Each of us came here alone, often as persons who are alone in their own worlds as well. But, once we joined the center, we were never alone again. I have come to know all those who belong to this community. I normally did not know them personally. But I meet them and come to know the persons they reveal every morning and every evening when I logon. And they are as much a part of my world as my family and my co-workers.

 

Hooboy and his dear friends Daddy, Foxy and the Moderators have made this posible. But it is Hooboy that was its heart and soul. Never having met him in person, I will miss him each time I logon. But I will also thank providence for his contributions to our lives. And thank you for what you made him!

 

Words can mean so little at a time such as this. Nonetheless, I leave you with these words, taken from an ancient prayer that Shakespeare quoted in Hamlet:

 

Dear Hoo, "may angels sing thee to thy rest"....

 

hg

[TwinkEscort]

What can I say about Hooboy? Well, the first thing that comes to mind is he sure did love sunflower seeds. He used to eat bag after bag of those things. So many times I remember him sitting at the computer with a glass of white wine and a bag of sunflower seeds. I am going to miss him alot. He gave me some many wonderful memories. He was a wonderful person and a great friend. MUCH LOVE.

[Richard]

There's an old song I remember from my high school days that goes something along the lines of "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?" When I heard the news that HooBoy had died, the truth of that lyric, however corny, hit home for me. It's when I realised that I took the work HooBoy did for granted. I just assumed that he would always be there, like the newspaper outside my door each morning. I was grateful for the site, impressed at the consistency of his work and imagined the team of people he had working with him to produce his valued service. Yet, I am sorry and a little ashamed I never took a moment to post here that I was a better informed, happier person for his efforts. I checked and I'm a 'charter' member who first posted a review in Janaury 2000. It's five years too late, but thank you, Hooboy, for putting up with the huge bunch of mixed nuts who were all your beneficiaries. I am also going to try to commit to recognizing and expressing my appreciation to others who are a positive influence on my life. Perhaps that's a fitting tribute to the man who did a lot for so many but was thanked not nearly enough.