Dear Vic,

You weren't just my friend... you were my supporter. You were my mentor. You were my guide. And most importantly, you were my family.

From the moment I joined GA, you were nothing more than amazing. You have always been there for me when I needed an ear to bend, someone to rant to, or a shoulder to cry on. I told you secrets that I've never told anyone else that I know; you kept them until the end, and I thank you for that. There are few people in this world that I could possibly admire as much as you.

You helped me through my entire life. Since I was 15 and in denial about my sexuality, to helping me talk to the cute boy next to me in class, to figuring out how to break up with the crazies, you've always been there for me. No matter what I said or did, you never passed judgment... just guidance. You not only helped me get through the tough spots in life, but you made me a better person in the process....

I've talked to you for over 8 years, and even stopped by to chat with you on my way to LA a few months ago, but it wasn't enough. It'll never be enough. You'll be missed by your family, your friends, and this community, but you'll never be forgotten.

I wouldn't be who I am today without you. I hope I was able to provide a fraction of the friendship to you that you bestowed onto me during these years.

I love you, Vic.

Always and all ways,

Joe

p.s. to everyone else "It's not all about the grades you get or how cool you are in highschool, it's about doing what makes you happy, and no matter when you're gonna go, to live life to the fullest."

"It's just really simple actually. It's just try and make people happy."

To my sweetheart Vic,

From the first moment I met you in GA chat on my first day until the last time we spoke the night before your heart attack, you were my friend, my family and a part of me.  If you would have told me that first day that within a month we would become so close that both of us would complain if we didn't talk for a few hours each day, I wouldn't have believed you.  I would wake up early to talk to you and you would stay up late to talk to me while I was at work.  Every minute that I spent talking to you is precious to me and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I'll remember many of the things you said to me and the life lessons you taught me in our short time as friends.  The two of us developed a bond and we just seemed to sync.  I could often complete your thoughts and you could complete mine.  We would share jokes in chat that others wouldn't get because they didn't share what we shared.  I miss you testing me by saying a line from an older movie or changing details to see if I would recognize your reference.  Amazingly enough, we rarely couldn't guess what the other was trying to say.

I've been lost without you and run the gamut of emotions since that day and others have noticed the changes in my behavior.  I hope you've heard the things I've said to you when no one was listening.  You made a man of science drop to his knees multiple times and beg whoever might be listening to bring you back to me.  I regret that I joined GA so late when I had found it initially years ago.  I could have shared more time with you rather than the 7 months we shared.  I echo what Joe said above ...  It wasn't enough time to spend with you and there never would've been enough time.  I am not the same person who joined this site, and you are one of the biggest reasons for that. 

I will not forget you, or let others forget you.

Love always,

Jackson

(Vic called me by my middle name in private)

P.S. For those of you who read my poem "Teach Me How" I would like to publicly acknowledge that this poem was written about Vic.

Vic -

You were one of the first friends I made on GA.  I remember us being in one of the first author chats hosted by GA - being able to chat with DKStories.  Privately we kept talking about how much I was interested in Dan and eventually how I started dating Dan.  We both had a strong love for Dom's stories as well - though no one could compare with HOW strong your passion was.  The playful arguments of me being an ARITE and you being (correctly) an SRITE.

That's the thing I always felt from you, passion.  You loved reading, enjoying and sharing.  You loved meeting new people, warmly turning strangers into friends.  We talked about problems in relationships and in life in general. You lived life to its fullest, were a wonderful daddy to your dog Mina, stayed very close to your family and even stayed friends with your ex.

Eight years of friendship, of sharing - I will truly miss you.

Robert

Dearest Victor,

I have so much I want to say, but I really don’t know where to begin. I guess I will start by saying I miss you. You and I, we didn’t have a lot of time together and I can’t help but blame myself for it. I keep wishing I’d talked to you sooner, met you sooner so that maybe we could have had the chance to do all the things we talked about doing.

The truth is, Vic, I still can’t believe that you’re gone. I keep telling myself you’ll come back; I keep expecting you to pop back up on Skype and we’d continue where we left off. I still feel perpetually trapped in that Saturday when you said you’re going to run that marathon and we’d talk when you got back. I waited for you that day; I’m still waiting for you now. I don’t even know how many times I’ve went back and read the chat logs – and even now, you can still put a smile on my face. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before. I have never clicked with anyone so instantly and so naturally like I did with you and I can’t help but feel robbed and cheated because I don’t think anyone will fill the hole you left behind in my heart.

Do you remember all the silly plans we made? That you’d teach me how to bake; that we’d go running together; that we’d have cocktails by the pool; that we’d sit on a bench and comment on passersby? Do you remember all the times we jinxed our jinxes or that it would take us half an hour just to say goodbye? There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about you, but mentioning your name is always so hard. Our time together may have been brief, but every minute was worth more than words can say; I may have had you for only a few weeks, but I will remember you for a lifetime.

You once told me I reminded you of you when you were young; I found it silly then, but it means so much to me now. I will be proud if I will be at least half the man you were, because you were a force of nature and anyone who had the luck of meeting you knows that. What I regret the most is that I never had the chance to tell you how much you mean to me – that it only took you a couple of days to become a huge part of my life. And even though you’re not here anymore, that still hasn’t changed.

I made a promise to you months ago – something silly and inane – but I want you to know that I am going to keep it.

I will never forget you.

Love always,

V

Hi Vic,

You had a way of keeping a lot of us grounded. When we went too crazy or bitchy you'd make a comment or a private message that would reel us back in, but in a way that didn't leave any hard feelings. You kept secrets, you were completely loyal to the people that you loved and to the authors that you liked. (Loved to the point of obsessed fangirl if it was Dom of course) And you didn't take it too personally when I forgot that I liked Dom's stories too and said something untoward about one of his characters. (By the way I still want to strangle Quinn lifeless for all the complaining and angsty stuff he did) and you didn't hate me for liking Seth, although you thought he was too boring.. or Aaron because he was too manipulative, crazy, and mean.

Although your love for Dom's stories would never be questioned, you still took the time to read new authors and welcome them.

You truly did mentor and help a lot of us 'youngsters' grow. You were dedicated to a lot of people here on GA and for that we should always be grateful and take time remembering how you molded us from hormonal crazies that fussed and fretted over little things.. into some what more stable adults...

Sorry I made you squirm with all those Pink Thong jokes, but anyone that knows me, knows I do it out of love.

Love,

Krista

Oh Vicky, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind. Hey Vicky...

We met in Dom's Yahoo group in 2004. I got an email one day during the height of posting for The Ordinary Us with Arbour as the other recipient. Vic said "I've seen you two posting in the group and you both look like the only two sane people who think the same way I do. We should talk". There you go...match made in heaven.

If you dig around in the archives of Dom's forum, you'll find that Vic also had a fine hand writing satire. Back in the day, it was something special to be a character in one of Vic's skits.

Myr might well be the heart behind GA, but Vic was its soul. He'll be missed. And wherever you're at, Vic, I hope there's chocolate.

Rest well my friend.