My friend Duwayne passed away Sunday afternoon of a heart attack. He checked himself into the hospital on the 4th with what he thought was stomach cramps (he was a veteran with other health problems) but they told him he was having small heart attacks. He was in for a week and had just been sent home two days ago. I saw him on Saturday and he was looking a lot better. It was a real shock when I found out that he was gone. You never expect it and I certainly didn't this time. He was the same age as me, 54. I won't know for a few days when the funeral is as a lot of the family is out of town and out of state. This is very rough on his family, no one is ever prepared for something like this.
I met him about two years or so ago and we became friends quickly. I found out that he was into many of the same things I was, such as John Carter of Mars by ERB and many, many others. I talked to him about OD&D and he was immediately interested even though he had never played a roleplaying game before. When I started up the OD&D campaign he was one of my steadfast players. His first character was a dwarven fighter. It fit him perfectly! In his younger days he was a very strong man, with wide burly shoulders very muscular and not very tall. I had an easy time picturing him in armor with a huge double bladed battle axe. He added a lot to our game that can not be replaced. He will be missed in many, many ways.
He was a really great guy and a lot of fun to be around. He had a great sense of humor and a great laugh and he do anything for a friend. He always had your back. A very humble gentle man. He had a deep faith and reverence for God, he loved God and I am certain that God loved and loves him. Our dog loved him. I loved him, he was my friend.
