When plans fall through and then they're gone
Yesterday I received one of those most dreaded phone calls in life...
A friend (whom I don't know) of a good friend of mine called. It's kind of funny because I don't normally answer my phone if I don't recognize the number, but for some reason this time I looked at the screen, shrugged and picked it up anyway.
Hello is this Erik?
Uh yeah, who's this?
This is Kevin, I'm a friend of Joe D'Andrea's. I'm affraid I have some bad news.
My heart sunk and I immediately broke into tears. I knew the rest of it just by those first few words. My good friend Joe D'Andrea had passed away this weekend. I didn't even know he was having any medical issues outside of his regular health situation. I was told he had a heart attack, which was a bigger shock in itself. I think Joe was in his late 40s, or early 50s at the latest.
After Kevin told me what had happened, we spoke briefly. I started to cry because me and Joe had made two recent attempts to meet up and catch up on one of his trips to the city from Asbury Park, but both times plans fell through. It'd been a couple of years since we'd seen each other and had so much to catch up.
I have really fond memories of Joe. He had a quick wit and was pretty bitchy if he wanted to be. He was also one of those take charge of your life kind of guys. He was very instrumental in running informational databases for many AIDS medications and trials. He was very much a community leader in that sense. Empowered himself and then empowering others.
I used to work for Joe many years ago on one of the many websites he ran. I think it was called MrRightNow.com or something like that. Anyway, we'd work out of his living room and everyday at 2pm like clockwork, he'd take a break, lie on the couch and watch Jude Judy. I'd be working away and every now and then I'd hear him say, "you go Judge Judy!".
I met Joe in 1988 at some dumb job I had when I was 20. That place went out of business but me and Joe were always in the same circles because of ACT UP in 1989 and then Joe worked for OUTWEEK magazine untill it closed down. Then me and Joe lost touch for a few years. Around 1999 or 2000, miraculously Joe found me through some sordid internet site. He emailed me and we picked up our friendship again. I love that kind of thing. Heck my high scool best friends found me through classmates.com and we had a big reunion after having lost touch for over 13 years. I love the internet. But I digress...
I'm going to miss you Joe, big time. Much love.
Here is a link to Joe's obituary and an article about Joe in the Asbury Park Press online
A friend (whom I don't know) of a good friend of mine called. It's kind of funny because I don't normally answer my phone if I don't recognize the number, but for some reason this time I looked at the screen, shrugged and picked it up anyway.
Hello is this Erik?
Uh yeah, who's this?
This is Kevin, I'm a friend of Joe D'Andrea's. I'm affraid I have some bad news.
My heart sunk and I immediately broke into tears. I knew the rest of it just by those first few words. My good friend Joe D'Andrea had passed away this weekend. I didn't even know he was having any medical issues outside of his regular health situation. I was told he had a heart attack, which was a bigger shock in itself. I think Joe was in his late 40s, or early 50s at the latest.
After Kevin told me what had happened, we spoke briefly. I started to cry because me and Joe had made two recent attempts to meet up and catch up on one of his trips to the city from Asbury Park, but both times plans fell through. It'd been a couple of years since we'd seen each other and had so much to catch up.
I have really fond memories of Joe. He had a quick wit and was pretty bitchy if he wanted to be. He was also one of those take charge of your life kind of guys. He was very instrumental in running informational databases for many AIDS medications and trials. He was very much a community leader in that sense. Empowered himself and then empowering others.
I used to work for Joe many years ago on one of the many websites he ran. I think it was called MrRightNow.com or something like that. Anyway, we'd work out of his living room and everyday at 2pm like clockwork, he'd take a break, lie on the couch and watch Jude Judy. I'd be working away and every now and then I'd hear him say, "you go Judge Judy!".
I met Joe in 1988 at some dumb job I had when I was 20. That place went out of business but me and Joe were always in the same circles because of ACT UP in 1989 and then Joe worked for OUTWEEK magazine untill it closed down. Then me and Joe lost touch for a few years. Around 1999 or 2000, miraculously Joe found me through some sordid internet site. He emailed me and we picked up our friendship again. I love that kind of thing. Heck my high scool best friends found me through classmates.com and we had a big reunion after having lost touch for over 13 years. I love the internet. But I digress...
I'm going to miss you Joe, big time. Much love.
Here is a link to Joe's obituary and an article about Joe in the Asbury Park Press online
ΒΆ 2:55 PM |
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