Just over a year ago, on the 22nd of January 2018 to be precise, our long-time moderator Gaj passed away in the Alfred Hospital from complications of Hepatitis C.
He was a friend, confidant, and supporter to many here. He was active on the forum for a long time, but I remember when his black and white avatar changed to colour the first time he got to end of treatment undetected...
Sadly that did not stick and we had to retreat and, at what should have been celebration time - SVR12, the undetected news was blighted by a shadow - the shadow of that went on to steal him from us.
Gaj was one of the good guys.
He's gone but he's not forgotten.
His name was Guy.
Guy's not the first friend I've lost, but, hopefully, he's the last.
Some years ago I lost a friend in a Hang Gliding accident. It felt like this then, and it feels like this now...
I still recall the night last year
The mate upon the phone
There’s something in the voice I hear
Just chills me to the bone
You hear ‘bout Nick Dillane today?
Comes crackling down the line
Such simple words, said in a way
Just knew he wasn’t fine
It seems that he was towing
In winds a little strong
And there’s no way of knowing
Exactly what went wrong
I hear the words wash over me
And a tear grows in my eye
Lockout…downwind…no release
No chance to say goodbye
Well it’s nearly been a year today
Since I’ve seen his smiling face
Still seems like only yesterday
That he stood here in this place
Well I know that I won’t see him
And I know that he is gone
But as long as I’m still breathin’
His memory will live on
So now I’d ask, you charge your glass
And just be glad we met him
Let’s drink to Nick, whose time has passed
I know I won’t forget him