It is with an extremely heavy heart that I must announce the passing of a very old and very dear friend - Allen Halden, familiar to some of you as 'RavenFeast'.
My focus on Anime and Manga related RPGs of late is due in a large part to Facebook conversations between he and I, and his sending me a package containing various Mekton items recently.
There is no way I can convey the magnitude of my sadness.
More than a fellow gamer, a fellow fan, and a friend, there were moments in my life when he was a teacher, and a brother. He was the kindest, wisest, and most generous example of humanity this world had to offer.
He was funny, clever, well-spoken, and good in the truest sense of the word. He laughed like a lion, hugged like a bear, and smiled like the sun.
This post is not nearly enough of a tribute, but at this moment it is all that I have to give.
I wish I believed in going on to 'a better place'. I can say only that this place is a lesser existence without him.
AD
Barking Alien
I think you just wrote the right words for a lot of people....
ReplyDeleteIt really hit me this morning, the grief, the tears. You're right, when Allen smiled it was like the sun. That sun has suddenly set, to rise no more which is incomprehensible. Then the questions what could I have done and how could I have known come to fill the void. None of us, none of us saw this coming. Now he'll shine in our memory. In my heart, I always hoped we'd all get together, all of us, like we did long ago. A reunion, a celebration, not a farewell. Adam, thank you for your tribute, so true, and the picture.
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning to a world that had no Allen Halden in it. I wanted to go back to sleep and wake up somewhere else so badly, it hurt.
ReplyDeleteAs a member of the local groups that Al gamed with, I can tell you this was a devastating shock to all of us. Thank you for your tribute to him, and all I can say is.... we will miss him.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about this, condolences to all.
ReplyDelete