Godspeed, Al!

A childhood friend, Al, passed away yesterday under tragic circumstances. I remember him as the "golden boy" who lived life on the edge, constantly pursuing danger, starting with heart-stopping stunts in the playground as a kid, graduating to motocross and bike jumping, and later, onto high-risk, extreme sports as an adult.

He never just sat there and let life happen to him; he ran after it and taunted it. He was a charismatic leader; he was inspiring and invigorating. Al was a high-voltage electric charge to anyone who came in contact with him.

I will always remember Al as the fun boy who played takyan with us, who delivered the meanest head bops in pillow fights, who could hit that stick the farthest in shatong, and who owned the most gorgeous smile and mop of blonde hair I have ever seen.

See you, Al, because of you our childhood is the stuff of legends. Thank you and see you later.