In the midst of morning routine, I was struck down by what at first I thought to be a joke. Sadly, it was not. It was a sobering reality, and a cruel reminder of all of our own mortality. One of our own was taken from us, the community. More importantly, the game of life seized a beloved newlywed, and friend to those that held him closest to their hearts, his family and friends. Words cannot begin to extend my condolences to those that loved him the most. I truly am sorry for your tremendous loss today.

I personally never met Ryan, but from what I have read throughout the day, I really wish I would have at least tried to reach out to him and simply say thanks. Thanks for the countless hours you provided entertainment for me. Whether it was TNT, TANG, Unprofessional Friday, or many of the shows on the site, I knew that if Ryan was involved I would not regret spending time consuming that content. To me, Ryan ranks up there on the Mt. Rushmore of podcasters, and his skills would always shine brightest during his live broadcasts. There really is no comparison between the Bombcast and the rest of the numerous gaming podcast on the web. For me, Tuesdays will not be the same, but I owe to the Giant Bomb family to continue to support the foundation that Ryan, Jeff and the rest of the crew have laid in the hundreds of hours they spent shooting the shit with each other. It never mattered to me how long the podcasts were. All I knew is that for the next three hours Ryan would be taking me for an aural ride, and I was ready to go along for that ride.

Once again, since I never took the time to say thanks to the duder, I'll do it again. THANKS a million times over.

To his friends and to his wife, thanks for sharing Ryan with the world.

We all lost a great person today, but his memory will shine bright for years to come. I hope to be able to say thanks to you in the big video game in the sky someday.