I wanted to say that the one thing that always stood out about Gary to me was his intensity. It did not always serve him well but it (for me) defined him and his personality.

We played softball together years ago when we were both younger and I remember a game we were playing and it was not going so well.

If fact we were getting our butts smashed into the ground 24 -2. This didn't matter to Gary when he was on first base and the batter at the time hit the ball to the outfield and Gary decided to stretch it and get to third. There vwas no give up in him.

As you can imagine those little legs digging like crazy and Gary trying to spark the team, slid into third,then we heard the sound  CRACK went the leg. A few weeks on the couch for rest. It was just how he played all out all the time no matter the score. He lived the same way.

I was happy to call him friend.