Rest In Peace, Vance...

R.I.P. Vance, it was way too soon.

It's tricky for me when someone I knew from high school passes, because I feel guilty for not being there long enough and never fully getting to know them (and a lot of others...). I sat next to Vance Templin in math for a huge chunk of my freshman year. He was such a hilarious, goofy dude. I remember he always tried to get me to listen to all his favorite punk bands, which was difficult back then, seeing as how it was 1999, right before the mp3/Napster phenomenon. Everyone still had to actually go out and buy albums (and my family didn't have a lot back then). I left high school fairly abruptly the next year and only saw him again once when he came to my house to visit with our friend Joe about a year later.

I tend to curse Facebook for the downfall of a lot of things, but its amazing ability to reconnect people is something I can't deny. Vance had moved to Oklahoma and started a family, but he managed to find me last summer and we remembered hilarious old times in school in a huge string of comments that night. I loved seeing all the pictures of his family and imagining how much of a fun dad he must be.

He was in a motorcycle accident last Sunday, leaving him with a broken neck. He passed on Tuesday. Such a huge loss for so many people, his Facebook profile is absolutely inundated with as much love as there is grief. You'll be deeply missed, dude </3

A candlelight vigil is being held for Vance and two others we lost this month, Blaine Kranz and Chris Taylor at Twin Rivers Park in Arlington on Tuesday, May 29th at 8pm. The Facebook event with a map and info can be found here. All are welcome.