Okay cancer … you can just fuck off now. Seriously. Most of you out there have no idea who this person is but he was my wife’s cousin, who I also knew for most of his life. I started dating Dawn a year or two after Brett was born. But Brett left this world today, which was way too fucking early. He put up a good fight, but now can rest pain free and peacefully.

I used to bring Brett (the one on the right) to a bunch of conventions years ago as my helper. He was probably one of the biggest Friday the 13th fans I knew, but also just a simple horror fan. He’d watch anything I suggested or sat him down to watch with me, and always enjoyed them. He didn’t care how cheesy or silly they might be, he still loved them as much as the biggest horror classic out there. He was my helper for quite a few of the early Cinema Wasteland shows, even went out to Baltimore once or twice with me and was always there to help if I asked. I know he was just thrilled to be there and to help out.

One of the early Wasteland shows, maybe the first one Brett came with me, but Reggie Bannister was one of the guests. I had known Reggie for a few years by then since he had spent some time out here in my hometown a few years before to record one of his albums. So, we hung out at the show and went to dinner on Saturday night. Brett went with us and sat almost across from Reggie during dinner. I don’t think Brett said that much during dinner, but later that night, and pretty much all the way on our 6-hour drive home, Brett would say comments like “I can’t believe I had dinner with Reggie Bannister!”

Brett was also a fellow metalhead and I am honored to have taken him to not only his first concert, but that it was a Motorhead concert! I had told him that normally your ears would ring for a few days after any concert, but because it’s Motorhead, they’ll probably bleed. Not sure if he knew if I was kidding or not.

There has been a lot of losses this year, which in particular seemed to be with people that I personally knew. It’s one thing to lose a favorite actor or director that we’ve never seen in person, or maybe shook their hand at a con once or twice. But Brett’s passing it going to leave quite a hole. I wish I had invited him over to watch some flicks a lot more. I wish I would have just called to talk about a new movie or new band or new CD. I wish … that I can remember to treat each day as a gift, and to celebrate those friends and family that we still have around us.

Rest in Peace, Brett. I’m sure where you’re at, they will have all the plain cheeseburgers and fries that you can eat. You may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. That, I promise.