In Fond Memory of Followsthewolf

[Palehorse]

We are quickly approaching the 1 year anniversary of our friend followsthewolfs' crossing over. The year has flown by and I still find myself looking to see if he has posted anything new at times.

Rest in peace my friend, and know we are missing you and thinking of you often.

[Henry Hawk]

I too miss his wit, humor, sacrasm and kindness....

Death sucks for us humans....we can be selfish that way.  I believe he is indeed in a much better place.

[Locutus]

I can't believe it's been a year already.

[moondance27]

i didn't know he had passed away.  I'm very sorry to hear this.

[Locutus]

Yeah he did just about a year ago.  Here's a thread where we were talking about it at the time.

http://theunknownzone.dailynuisanceproductions.com/index.php?topic=18755.0

[Palehorse]

And since we're talking about and remembering followsthewolf, I thought it appropriate to move this quote over here that contains a picture of the man in human form.

I found a duplicate obituary on another newspaper site that contained a picture of our online friend.  The text was identical to the one posted by the admin, but this one contained a picture.  I don't really know why I'm posting this.  Perhaps it's just to help me to better know the one who made me laugh and smile over the years in this sort of online "coffee shop" that we've all contributed to creating.  I hope he wouldn't mind me doing this; after all, he requested no services.  I'm sure if he's mad about it, he'll find a way to reach out from beyond the pale and haunt my ass as payback. 

Our collective online friend Walt Mullen (a.k.a. followsthewolf):



May you rest in peace.

[Palehorse]

I know this is going to sound a bit out there, but there have been countless times over the past year, in which I have asked myself: WWFTWS?

"What would followsthewolf say?"

He was a good man, and I miss him dearly. His smart ass comments that were spot on. His dry sense of humor. His sage advice. His presence.

We remember you followsthewolf. . . every day.

[duke jupiter]

He did indeed leave a large footprint.

[Sandy Eggo]

FTW was always teaching a lesson. Even when he was being flip or sarcastic, there was a nugget there. I miss him tremendously and even with that, there's a lesson.

We have spent years together on this forum alone. We've gotten close despite the fact that many of us have never met.
We share in our good fortunes and bad. We support each other, laugh at each other, bitch at each other and share with each other.

It's not strange that we care so much about people we've never met, but I don't think we realized and maybe even thought about it, until FTW passed.

R.I.P friend. Thank you for all that you contributed and continue to contribute.

[Palehorse]

FTW was always teaching a lesson. Even when he was being flip or sarcastic, there was a nugget there. I miss him tremendously and even with that, there's a lesson.

We have spent years together on this forum alone. We've gotten close despite the fact that many of us have never met.
We share in our good fortunes and bad. We support each other, laugh at each other, bitch at each other and share with each other.

It's not strange that we care so much about people we've never met, but I don't think we realized and maybe even thought about it, until FTW passed.

R.I.P friend. Thank you for all that you contributed and continue to contribute.

Couldn't have said it any better myself Sandy Eggo. You nailed the essence of one of the lessons in followsthewolfs' passing for me; not to take for granted that those within my cyber-life, just as in real life, will always be there.

Each of us has an expiration date, though it is usually a mystery as to when we will reach it. It may be decades from this moment, or the very next moment, so it is important that each of us try to live in the moment each and every second of every day we are given. Say the things that are weighing on your mind, do the things you are capable of doing for others. Tell them what they mean to you, right, wrong, or indifferent.

The only regrets we should leave this place with, are over those things we thought about doing or saying to each other, but procrastinated over. Of course that is ideal state, and there are those members of the general population for which such an approach would mean immediate, long term incarceration. . . 

I guess the point is, we make enough mistakes along our life path to create a mountain of regrets to fret over later in life, or near the end. Don't let leaving something unsaid, or failing to do something for someone that matters to you and which would cost you nothing but a little time and effort, be among those things. Those are what I like to call "JDI's". (Just do its).

The last thing I want to have weighing on my mind as my physical being drifts away, is the fact I never told someone that meant something to me, how I felt about them or how much they mean to me.  That would really suck in my opinion;especially since all it would take is a few moments to say the words or type them out.

I hope that when my time comes, that I have the class followsthewolf demonstrated right here. To perhaps hint to those within my "circle of trust" that there is an issue with my health, but to spare them the harsh reality surrounding the shortness of time I may have left, and then to interact as normally as possible from that point on.

It stinks in a way because we were all rendered speechless in the moment of realization that he had left this planet. I think that will always be the case for any of us. But, looking back on it, the precious acts he extended toward some of us in those last days, despite his personal knowledge that his time was coming to end, were selfless acts of genuine love and respect; despite the fact we had not ever met. At least for me that is where things were left between the two of us.

I said it a year ago, but even today those PM's he sent to me when I posted about my "health scare" just 3 months before his crossing over,  stand as priceless testimony to his compassion, character, and sincere friendship.

At the time I took great comfort in his messages to me, and I was truly thankful for his friendship and trust. And now a year out, I look back on them as reminders surrounding the greater heights toward which I aspire to be as a human being, a friend, father, and husband. And a reminder to never, ever, take my friends and family for granted.

We tend to read things into everyday acts once the individual has crossed over, and I acknowledge that. But the fact is, what followsthewolf did for me was nothing different than that which he did publicly within this forum for years. His passing just forces us to recognize we had the pleasure and honor to spend some time with a remarkable human being, to interact with him, learn from him, and to share some portion of our precious lives with each other. And while there is nothing within the fact this took place that is in itself, remarkable; the fact that despite his absence he continues to teach us is.

I consider a handful of the membership here personal friends, and this entire situation has caused me to take some measure to ensure that news of my expiration will reach you once I go join followsthewolf. Like him, I intend to have no service, no boo-boo festival, and no grave. Just put me in a box, and a refrigerator box will due, and pop me in the oven. My ashes can go into the toilet, air, river, or the local landfill; it matters not to me.

But I will have someone come here and tell you guys I checked out. I have already set that up.

And know that if it is possible to provide a sign to you within cyberspace, I will do so from wherever it is that we go once we cross over. (I more than half expect that if that were indeed possible, ftw would have already done so though).

I still miss him. I probably always will. (As long I am in my right mind. And if the time comes when I am not, then I'll likely be talking to him so I won't be missing him any longer). 

[Locutus]

Username: followsthewolf
Posts:  7833 (2.831 per day)

Last Active:  April 17, 2013, 08:40:55 AM

 

[Palehorse]

Username: followsthewolf
Posts:  7833 (2.831 per day)

Last Active:  April 17, 2013, 08:40:55 AM

 

To the last, this man cared enough about this place and it's membership to check in. 

[Locutus]

To the last, this man cared enough about this place and it's membership to check in. 

...on the very day he died. 

[Palehorse]

...on the very day he died.

It astounds me! 

[Locutus]

I really wonder what happened that day.  We'll never know, but he was obviously well enough to check in on the forum at 8:40 AM on that day.  There must have been some sort of medical emergency, related to his pulmonary fibrosis,  that happened later on in that day that caused his death.  I wish we knew what happened, but I know we never will.