Yesterday, the world lost one of it's finest human beings.
My friend Yves Nantel was 34. He fought a scarily short but valiant battle with melanoma cancer. He was strong, but the disease was stronger.
Yves was full of life and very funny. I'll never forget how he could inject humour into every situation. It was a given that I would be in stitches every time i saw him. The last time we got together was in August of last year at a wedding, shortly after his diagnosis and initial treatment. He was the best man and I was the matron of honour.
When two funny people get together one of two things happens: Either they both try to out-funny each other with jokes, puns or harmless put-downs, or one allows the other to dominate with the funnies. After meeting Yves, I knew I was the submissive comedienne. I had to bow to his joie de vivre and the humour he used to emanate that. At the wedding I put my proverbial tail between my legs and let him dish out the comedy. I laughed and laughed. I never minded being the beta dog around him. I was truly outclassed.
I don't feel much like being funny right now, but I hope that when the grief becomes a little less, I'll make him proud by getting a laugh or two out of others. Pay it forward and all that rot.
I'm sad. Very sad. But I need to keep this in perspective; there are people much sadder than I am. His family and very close friends are mourning in a whole different way. He touched so many lives by always thinking of others. He was always giving of himself. That part of him will live on forever.
(A little secret: even after 16 years of sobriety and faith in a higher power, I'm still finding it hard not to be angry with God for taking someone so special from the world. Why can't He take more dirty politicians? What about those annoying phishing email scammers? People with enormous egos? Why take one of the nicest people?... To make another guardian angel? A guardian angel with a flare for puns?)
Rest in peace, Yves. You did so much good while you were here and you will be missed so much.
(Picture: Yves with baby Gutsy, taken at a friend's housewarming party about four years ago)