A great loss

I am so thankful for my life. I am so thankful for the people who have moved through my life and made me the person I am. One of those people was Matt Sloan, who was found dead in Fredericton yesterday morning. It still upsets me too much to discuss where, and under what circumstances, he was found. Needless to say, it leaves me with a lot of questions. But, the answers to those questions will not change the fact that he is gone. It is a great loss to the world that he will no longer be able to light it up with his handsome smile.
Matt was a rare catch. He could play more instruments than I could try and count right now. He was always so proud of having learned a new one. He always made me laugh, and I think that is the resounding quality that I hear about him. The night I met him I was scrounging around in the fridge at a party, and I turned around to a gorgeous man who simply stated; "hey, I like your frames". I giggled then, and thought he was making fun. I felt that way every time I was around him. I couldn't help but smile.
When I left Fredericton -- where he lived -- he made sure to keep in touch. He would surprise me on skype, would send me messages saying that he thought I was great, or he missed me. Graduate school is not easy, and on the days that I would get frustrated, he never failed to make me feel better. I always felt lucky to have him in my life. Now, I feel very lucky to have met him and spent the time we did together.  
I have returned to Fredericton a few times since I moved away, and most times before I left he was the last person I saw. We would sit on his front porch and drink coffee. I always left Fredericton smiling. I know I will hold those moments for the rest of my life. I don't pretend to know what happens to people once they have stopped breathing, but I know that the memories we have of Sloan will continue to make us proud to have known him. He will never really die because he made such an impression on all of us. Life is so short, and it is mornings like this that I will -- with a heavy heart -- go out and enjoy the sunshine. I will sit on my front porch and drink a beer and wish that he was there with me. But, I will remember all the moments we shared (even the ones when we argued -- by the way buddy, I was right!...but I guess you can have the last word). Goodbye my darling friend, I am sure that somehow we will see each other again. I hope that I turn around to see you say "hey, I like your frames".