In Honor of Rick May

1940 - 2020

My friends.

I know it's been sometime since I last seen you all. There's not a day that goes by where I don't think of you, my readers. The time where I once shined smiles on your faces with this story. I know, this isn't an update for the story, nor is this even about me. This is something important.

Few of us may have known him personally, but we all loved him for his amazing contribution to our lives, unknowing it might be. Rick May, the voice actor for Soldier from Team Fortress 2, has died of coronavirus, aged 79 years. In memoriam of Rick May, voice actor of the magnificent bastard we know and love, I dedicate this time and piece to you.

Friends, let's set aside our worries and grief and remember this great man, for without him we wouldn't have the rendition of Soldier we know and so deeply love. All those memes, all those jokes, all those smiles you had with or at Soldier, none of that would have been there without this man. He is a hero, even if he never understood how deeply he affected some of us. Sometimes all it takes to make life bearable is a smile and a few jokes.

Shed your tears if you must.

There is no shame in crying. Crying merely means that you care about something. I know I have cried more than a little when I found out. Go ahead. I will cry with you for we all share this pain. However, I ask of you, I beg of you, my friends and readers, whichever you may be, in this pain in your heart draw strength from it. Have your heart as the steel and this loss as the flame that tempers it into something ever greater. It's not easy to do, that I'm aware, but the most important thing to do is to have him in memory for all time and grow into better and stronger people. Not just the sake of him, but for the sake of everyone.

We are all people. Human beings. Some are cruel, some are kind, some are evil, and some are just. There is not doubt in my mind that there is immense hatred in some of your hearts directed at one thing or another, and others may have boundless joy and happiness. Regardless of your heart, I believe in the human spirit. We live in a dark world, times may not be as dark as the past, but suffering and pain still scars the world in some shape or form. The duality of man is that we are both capable of terrible acts of destruction, yet great creation at the same time.

In all of you, regardless of background or heritage, I believe is a good person with great potential. Even if no one else believes in you, even if you don't believe in yourself, I will hold faith that you can be greater than what you are now.

The reason I believe so is because of all the support you have shown in me during my time as a writer. I cannot stress enough how grateful I am to you all, and though it may seem to some that I have abandoned you, know that I want nothing but the dearest and best to happen to all of you.

Rise up, be smart, show kindness and respect to one another. Smile and laugh. Be happy. Spread love and hope in a world racked by hatred and despair. This is not a fairy tale or some delusional fantasy of a naive fool. Do you meant to tell me you want to live in a dark world? You want to live in this one world we share, our reality, in fear, sadness, anger, and despair? This is OUR world, but most importantly, this is your ONLY life.

You have one life, so please make the most of it before you go.

That's all I ask of you, and I'm sure that's also what Rick May would want too.

That's enough words from me. This isn't about me after all, it's about Rick May. An unknowing hero in our lives. My friends, I encourage you to say your piece in the reviews. Share your thoughts and feelings for him for all of us to see. Go ahead and be thorough. No one will judge.