July 3, 2014

I've lost a couple of people closest to me in the past year as well. Thanks for writing Patrick. You just summed up my feelings exactly.

And now I'm crying.

Good reflection Patrick, I hope you find some comfort today.

Thanks for that Patrick, tonight I'll raise my glass to both Ryan and your dad.

thanks for sharing, patrick

Thanks for writing this. Was listening to the Ryan Davis Memorial this week as well. I will miss Ryan so much.

Thanks for this, Patrick, and thanks for what you do.

Tonight I'll pour a glass of the good stuff in honor of Ryan and Klepek the Elder.

Thanks Patrick, great piece. "Always remembered never forgotten"

Godspeed you, Ryan Davis!

Thanks for sharing something so personal with us, Patrick. <>

Touching post Patrick. I wish I had joined this site earlier so I would have seen Ryan live.

Amazing and touching read Patrick, thanks.

Man, a year, huh? Ryan was awesome and I still watch Quick Looks with him from time to time. My first QL ever was Trains vs. Zombies. His "Sky Train" made me quickly a fan of Giant Bomb.

That duder will not be forgotten.

Lovely.

I understand fully what you're going through this day. I lost the family member I was closest to, my mother, only 2 months ago.

This must of been a pretty hard post for you to write Patrick, but sometimes expressing your feelings in a public forum can help aid in the healing process. Great post.

RIP RTD & Mr Klepik

Touching.

I was fortunate enough to run into Ryan once at a liqueur store in Seattle during PAX. Dude was exactly how I knew him from 'the internet' and super happy to talk to a guy who only knew him as "giant bomb". That was when I was only casually familiar with the site and podcast. I believe it was then that I became a full fledged duder.

Patrick you posted a quote that your father had on his desk I believe. Some time ago. Attitude by Charles Swindoll. I had never seen it before but that very moment a bunch of shit clicked into place for me and I made some life changes shortly afterwards. It sounds silly I know, but totally legit.

Anyway... Thanks to the whole crew for being great and providing awesome entertainment. Thanks for being unique

Thank you Patrick.

Thank you so much for sharing this Patrick. It honestly brought me to tears. I never got the chance to meet Ryan but he made such a big impact in both mine and my husband's life over the years. We would look up quick looks with Ryan in them when we needed to be picked up from something that had us down(and we still do even now), and I personally always got the sense that he wasn't just this amazing person on camera/audio..but that he was a great friend to those who knew him and a wonderful person. The sort of guy who lit up a room just by being in it.The day that he passed is one not soon forgotten in my house hold, as it was one of the few times in all the years I've known my husband that I saw him cry.I had no idea that his passing fell on the same day as the anniversary of your fathers passing...I can not begin to imagine what you went through. This may sound silly considering that I don't really know you (and will probably never get the chance to talk with you) but you and your family (and the rest of the GB staff and their families) are in my thoughts and prayers.I'd give ya'll a great big hug if I could. The GB team has brought so much joy into my life and I'm so very thankful for all that you do.

This is very touching Patrick, I miss Ryan too, I'm sorry about your dad.

Thanks for sharing this, Patrick. I'm having a hard time handling the loss of one guy I never met, I can't even fathom how hard all this must be for you.

Thank you Patrick. Thank you Ryan. Thank you Papa Klepek.

Thanks for sharing Patrick, and thank you for everything Ryan Davis.

I am in tears today, just like I was a year ago, and will be for years to come. I miss you Ryan.

Thank you Patrick for barring your soul I know today is tough for a lot of people but you especially. Thank you Ryan and thank you Mr. Klepeck. Your memory lives on and you are greatly missed.

And with that it's BALLER TIME!

Thanks for sharing.

Nice post Patrick.

Wonderful post Patrick. Hugs.

Man, trying to imagine Vinny trying to get in contact with you is the saddest thing.

Fuck you @patrickklepek. I didn't need to cry at work. Asshole.

Thanks Patrick, very moving. I hope today is not too rough for you buddy.

You have. And you will continue to.

We love you guys.

Every day you do work that would make both men proud, Patrick.

Ahhh shit I thought I could handle that, apparently not. You write wonderful stuff Patrick, shame this one has to be so heartbreaking. Thanks for sharing man.

Well said Patrick, we all miss Ryan but I can't fathom how this day affects you. All the best to you and Ryans closest.

Love ya @patrickklepek, thanks for sharing this. i'm sure both of them would be insanely proud of what you've done here at GB. and obviously i don't know your father, but his legacy shines bright in you.

Looking forward to a great year ahead and all the craziness the 3 front GB attack will bring!

Thanks for sharing Patrick.

Thanks Patrick. I'm sure writing that wasn't fun but we appreciate you sharing with us. I wish all you guys well and I'm sorry for your loss.

Extremely moving and touching. Ryan will always be missed and I thank you for sharing

You've a way with words, Patrick, and the way you share about these feelings is heartfelt. Thank you, we're here with you.

Ironically, despite the glee and warmth of the summer, I've come to associate it with loss of a loved one as well. Celebration of midsummer is an important, and normally cheerful, family holiday for us here, but three years ago on the eve of summer solstice my gramps passed away, making it a bittersweet occasion for me. Still, I've come to realize that we should rejoice for the good times we had together in remembrance and smile on, as I'm sure that's what they would most like us to do. I don't want to remember the half asleep body my gramps was during his last days, I will remember him giving me a hearty smile and thumbs up the last time I visited him while he was conscious.

My sympathies to you, whole GB crew, and everyone who has lost someone they truly care about.

Thanks, Patrick.

Thanks Patrick, I wish you the best on this (and the rest of them, for that matter) third of July.

It's hard to believe it's been a year...anyways, really nice post about two great people Patrick. I'm sure they're smiling down on ya. Rest in Peace Ryan and Mr. Klepeck.

Thank you for sharing this, Patrick.

Ryan's death was unbelievable for me. I can understand thinking it was a joke; considering his age and the timing... I didn't know him anywhere near the way you did and even for me it was a bit devastating. I don't know how I would have handled the death of my father and also the death of a close colleague and friend... such a terrible thing. I personally always find myself wondering what Ryan would have had to say about Giant Bomb's growth and the partitioning of all of the established personalities. I wanted more TANG! I wish I could hear him on the podcast some more and would have loved to see him at E3. Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks for sharing, Patrick, and best wishes.

Scoops <3

I was just thinking last night about this and how I was dreading having to think about it. As usual the other members of GB have put perfectly into words what I think. Anytime I think about the loss of someone I think of that Chris Cornell song "Wave Goodbye". I hate to say that I hope it gets easier for you if it means losing touch with those memories, so perhaps I can just hope that instead you'll somehow maintain them only without the feelings of profound loss. I also wish I could say something more that would be helpful, but I too feel that I don't have the words.

You said "I can only hope to live a life that touches as many people as those two did. If I do a fraction of what they did, I’ll be happy." and I'd just like to say that I think you are well on your way sir, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about that. Best wishes to you @patrickklepek

Word Pat. Touching blog.

Touching story. Thanks for writing this, Patrick. Ryan will always be missed.

Great post. Thanks for everything you do here at the GB!

EDIT: Preface Alpha - Patrick, you've already touched lives as you say you wish you will. I am one of them. Thank you.

Preface - I feel ridiculous hitting send on this after thinking about how much of a right I have to feel this way, but I can't help how I feel, and I think it's nothing but praise for the man that will always be remembered as Ryan Davis.

I watched some old quicklooks two nights ago. Ryan and Jeff jams. Old stuff that I don't really care about - I was having a bout of insomnia and I love listening to Giant Bomb. Anything. So I found some old shit I never watched, and a lot of it was obviously including Ryan.

I will never forget Ryan, and Patrick - I am sorry to think this as I don't wish permanent mourning on anyone ever especially someone I have utmost respect for - I don't think you'll ever forget Ryan. You don't forget people like that. You forget how it feels to go from them being around to them being gone. You forget the sadness. You will always remember the good times because you have no reason not to and THAT is what is most important and most BEAUTIFUL about Giant Bomb and Ryan Davis. Ryan will never die so long as Giant Bomb lives. People will continue to discover the site, fall in love, and hit the back catalogue.

One of the best silver linings I've found is that the world will not forget Mr. Davis for the foreseeable future. I know Giant Bomb won't allow their archives to fall to the wayside, and I know people will continue to discover the site and Ryan in due process. People like the staff of Giant Bomb that positively affect so many peoples' lives - people like that deserve to be remembered, and I think that's exactly what will happen for all the right reasons.

I still think Ryan is somewhere either in heaven or some crazy simulation future sitting there laughing at how emotional everyone got over him. He'd be just the person to find heaven and spend his time watching his old pals endure the ridiculousness of life while knowing how peaceful and serene the following is - I'm sure that would tickle him to have that knowledge over the crew.

Thanks for sharing your inner thoughts.

Fuck man, that moved me.