Sadly, a friend of mine passed away last weekend. Jay was the kind of guy who effortlessly made a room brighter with his presence. Always looking out for friends. Ever the life of the party. He always had a great story to tell you about a recent encounter he had & I believe that’s in large part because of his positive outlook on the world. Jay suffered a heart attack a week ago. Despite getting to a hospital in time for surgery, he was never responsive again. Perhaps the quick turn of events is why his death –at 41 years of age –was particularly shocking. I imagine it always is when you don’t see it coming.
I spent some time the last couple days looking through photos trying to find a tangible memory of Jay. He was a Lowrider. Loved to cruise in his jumper, a powder blue ’67 Chevy Impala convertible. Imagine my further surprise when I found but one picture. But it’s a great photo of five good friends together for a Vegas-like weekend celebration a couple years back. I’m glad I’ve got that much.
I do not own this image, no copyright infringement is intended.
The past week’s been another reminder of how fleeting life can be. How quickly things can change for any of us. How utterly decimated life can be not just for a given person, but also for the network of loved ones around them. Even ripple effects for those with more outlier relations to them. & sometimes even those who never knew them.
But we can all live forever in memories. Performers of stage & screen have been immortalized on celluloid, Kodak & digital imagery for decades. As the technology has evolved, so too have many of us. People we’ve seen for years, even decades. Those we’ve watched grow up, seemingly with us. Some we’ve all, undoubtedly, one day suddenly realized had gotten old. Others still we simply forgot about until we see that back-in-the-day film or clip that left us reflecting on ‘what ever happened to him/her’? The gift & the curse of the lense. It allows us to capture a moment or story to remember & relive whenever we choose, as often as we choose. So many people, both talented entertainers & everydayers have risen & shone, faded & gone in what can seem like no time at all. Or sometimes, feeling like forever. All the while serving as a reminder to us, the observers, that we too are rising, shining & (eventually) fading in our own way with time.
Forever they live.
Jay, my brother: forever we ride.