There are a lot of things about death that you don’t really ever think about until it happens, especially when you experience death with some proximity for the first time. The thing that hurt me the most about Dave’s passing is the idea that Dave was just a better person than the rest of us. In terms of being a human being, Dave was the best possible human being you could ever aspire to be. Dave was handsome, athletically superior to the rest of his teammates, and had developed a nice tan from all the time he spent at the beach. However, it wasn’t Dave’s physical qualities that made him better than me. It was the way he treated people, and the way he took responsibility in his own life. Dave never did drugs, he never smoked, he liked to drink but only in the company of his friends. The thing about Dave was that he just loved everyone else unconditionally, and not in the cheesy kind of way, but in the kind of way where Dave would bend over backwards to help you out. He never made excuses for being unable to help a friend, Dave was always there for you to help you with whatever remedial chore you needed help with, despite how inconvenient it may have been for him. Dave was brilliant, and persistent, and was curious about life. Dave was understanding, funny, and above all else, Dave was just full of class. He was an old soul breathing into a youthfully exuberant specimen. Ladies knew him as a gentleman, and I promise you, the girls knew Dave. I just can’t stop thinking about how much of a great human being Dave was. Dave was better than me in every facet, there was nothing I did that Dave didn’t do better. He had so much confidence and self-control, and the best, truest conscious of anyone I’ve ever met. The thing that sucks the most is that I never put my finger on all of this until he was gone. I always knew Dave was a great guy, there was never any doubt about that, but I never really stopped to think about why. If there is one thing I could do for Dave, something that will actually matter and mean something, it would be to strive to be more like him in my everyday life. No matter what I’m doing, no matter who I am with, if I did whatever Dave would do in any situation, I would be a better human being. Dave’s memory might not linger forever, but his legacy will live on forever through his family, through his friends, and through me. I love you Dave. Ride slow, rest easy, I’ll see you soon my friend…
