This is very difficult for me to post, so bear with me...
On Saturday, June 20th, Anthony Liaw passed away. Anthony was the player of Rudius and friend to many, and has been a part of the DR community for a very long time. Anthony was only 28 years old and his sudden and unexpected passing due to a free-diving accident off the coast of California came as a shock to many who knew and loved him both in real life and in the DR community. Anthony loved the ocean and was an expert diver, and that he suffered such a tragic accident doing what he loved and was very knowledgeable about is so hard to come to terms with.
It is hard for me to find the right words to express what a caring and thoughtful friend he was. He would do anything for his friends. The Realms, and the world, simply won't be the same anymore.
As I'm sure is the case with many of his friends who will grieve his passing, Rudius and I were close in real life and in DragonRealms, and if someone could help me organize an OOC in-game memorial for him, it would be greatly appreciated. (My e-mail is kelseyw@email.arizona.edu, please contact me if you can help me with this or wish to contribute.)
Please keep Anthony and his family in your thoughts. He will be dearly missed.
Sincerely,
Kelsey, player of Euphoriah & Seiyori
KELSEYW3713
MARSAIS
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 11:55 AM CDT
So sorry to hear. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
VALYNN
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 01:11 PM CDT
I am so very very sad at this news. I will miss chatting with Tony. He was a great support when I needed it and I will miss him very much. My thoughts and prayers go to his family and other friends.
Jeanne, player of Valynn
___
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition."
- Henry V, William Shakespeare
Jeanne, player of Valynn
___
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition."
- Henry V, William Shakespeare
MIV
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 01:38 PM CDT
We had our good times that is for sure! My heart goes out to his friends and family. He shall be missed.
Miv
I would rather have an intelligent enemy than a stupid friend.
Miv
I would rather have an intelligent enemy than a stupid friend.
ANANDA
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 02:02 PM CDT
He will be missed. An interesting character though I did not know him well.
POCKY
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 04:06 PM CDT
So very sad to hear. Sympathies to his family and friends.
DIAME
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 04:31 PM CDT
Oh wow, another sad surprise. Rudius was a fixture in Therengia. I'm very sorry to hear this and of course thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
===
Alrina says, "We really need to stop talking about you and concentrate on me."
===
Alrina says, "We really need to stop talking about you and concentrate on me."
VELORAES
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 05:27 PM CDT
I am so very sorry for the loss of your friend. I feel badly I didn't get to know him better. GM Alvy can help you hun. My thoughts and prayes to his family.
Player of Valelaer
Player of Valelaer
TOOTHLESSRAIDER
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/23/2009 11:47 PM CDT
its my understanding that he was a marine biologist and an experienced scuba diver. He was preparing a wedding party that involved scuba. Im told he did the free-dive (dived about 25 feet without scuba gear) to retrieve an anchor buoy where he apparently experienced a "shallow-water blackout" (meaning he didnt experience panic or a desperate need to breathe. He just blacked out suddenly). These people know how to free-dive - but its still dangerous because of a lot of body-chemistry issues.
I mention this because he was ALL ABOUT the ocean as was mentioned. And if it was a shallow-water blackout it likely wasnt a violent end.
Given that, and given that his time was indeed called in, i feel some solace in the fact that he was doing exactly what he loved to do, where he loved to do it, with friends and family around him. Im told his sister was there (she also knows what she's doing) and did everything in her power to revive him. For her, Im sure, there is no consolation in anything that happened. But since it happened, im glad he was doing what he loved and had his important people around him.
All of us will miss ya ya big goof :) Thanks for being fun, and providing fun for the rest of us.
Adam
I mention this because he was ALL ABOUT the ocean as was mentioned. And if it was a shallow-water blackout it likely wasnt a violent end.
Given that, and given that his time was indeed called in, i feel some solace in the fact that he was doing exactly what he loved to do, where he loved to do it, with friends and family around him. Im told his sister was there (she also knows what she's doing) and did everything in her power to revive him. For her, Im sure, there is no consolation in anything that happened. But since it happened, im glad he was doing what he loved and had his important people around him.
All of us will miss ya ya big goof :) Thanks for being fun, and providing fun for the rest of us.
Adam
KELSEYW3713
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/24/2009 01:07 AM CDT
As far as I understand it, and I was told the news from Jane herself (his sister), everything Adam wrote about Anthony is accurate. His sister told me that there will be a memorial service held for him (tentatively) this Sunday, June 28th. I will post further information such as time and place for those who live close enough and would like to attend.
I feel the need to say one important thing on the topic before I let things rest and focus more on recovering from all this...
For everyone who reads this and dives, or knows anyone that dives or swims competitively while holding their breath for a long period of time, PLEASE communicate this important safety information:
*I do not know if this is specifically what happened to Anthony, but it concerned me to learn of this.*
It is typical for free-divers or other forms of apnea ("holding your breath") swimmers to believe that hyperventilation (breathing deeper and faster than the body naturally requires) prior to a dive will saturate the bloodstream with oxygen and therefore extend the time of a dive. This is INCORRECT and can be FATAL and unfortunately is a common assumption, because the theory at first seems intuitively to be true because the diver can be underwater longer before -feeling- like s/he needs air. What really happens is that hyperventilation decreases CO2 in the bloodstream to very low levels, disabling the body's natural mechanisms that tell you when you urgently need to breathe. The feeling of urgently needing to breathe is caused by HIGH CO2 LEVELS, -not- low oxygen levels. Hence, the oxygen in the blood reduces to the point where the brain tissue is oxygen-starved, causing blackout, before the diver experiences ANY sort of bodily response to the oxygen deprivation. There is no warning before blackout.
Please share this information with anyone you know who dives.
My heart goes out to all those still reeling from this loss.
Sincerely,
Kelsey, player of Euphoriah & Seiyori
I feel the need to say one important thing on the topic before I let things rest and focus more on recovering from all this...
For everyone who reads this and dives, or knows anyone that dives or swims competitively while holding their breath for a long period of time, PLEASE communicate this important safety information:
*I do not know if this is specifically what happened to Anthony, but it concerned me to learn of this.*
It is typical for free-divers or other forms of apnea ("holding your breath") swimmers to believe that hyperventilation (breathing deeper and faster than the body naturally requires) prior to a dive will saturate the bloodstream with oxygen and therefore extend the time of a dive. This is INCORRECT and can be FATAL and unfortunately is a common assumption, because the theory at first seems intuitively to be true because the diver can be underwater longer before -feeling- like s/he needs air. What really happens is that hyperventilation decreases CO2 in the bloodstream to very low levels, disabling the body's natural mechanisms that tell you when you urgently need to breathe. The feeling of urgently needing to breathe is caused by HIGH CO2 LEVELS, -not- low oxygen levels. Hence, the oxygen in the blood reduces to the point where the brain tissue is oxygen-starved, causing blackout, before the diver experiences ANY sort of bodily response to the oxygen deprivation. There is no warning before blackout.
Please share this information with anyone you know who dives.
My heart goes out to all those still reeling from this loss.
Sincerely,
Kelsey, player of Euphoriah & Seiyori
SUGARSNOUT
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/24/2009 01:45 PM CDT
This is sad.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
KELSEYW3713
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/24/2009 05:37 PM CDT
Information regarding Anthony Liaw's memorial ceremony (from his sister). All who would like to attend and remember Anthony are encouraged to do so. I figured some of you might live close enough to come. I am flying in from AZ to play a piece on flute during the ceremony, and won't know anyone there except for Anthony, and his sister a little...so if you come, we can keep eachother company.
Anthony T. Liaw, most beloved friend, son and brother.
Please join our family in celebrating his extraordinary life:
1pm, Sunday, June 28, 2009
Rice Mortuary
5310 Torrance Blvd
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 792-7599
We are in the process of setting up a foundation in Tony's name to the Science Learning Center at California State University Long Beach, more information regarding donations to follow.
Sincerely,
Kelsey, player of Euphoriah & Seiyori
Anthony T. Liaw, most beloved friend, son and brother.
Please join our family in celebrating his extraordinary life:
1pm, Sunday, June 28, 2009
Rice Mortuary
5310 Torrance Blvd
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 792-7599
We are in the process of setting up a foundation in Tony's name to the Science Learning Center at California State University Long Beach, more information regarding donations to follow.
Sincerely,
Kelsey, player of Euphoriah & Seiyori
GODBANE
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/25/2009 06:09 AM CDT
Very cool guy. Sad to hear about his passing at such a young age.
NIKPACK
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/25/2009 04:44 PM CDT
Wow, what a loss. :(
Nikpack
player of more than I should list
Climbing List:http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/Climbing_skill
Swimming List:http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/Swimming_skill
And while I am evil, I try to avoid being just plain mean.
-Z
Nikpack
player of more than I should list
Climbing List:http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/Climbing_skill
Swimming List:http://www.elanthipedia.com/wiki/Swimming_skill
And while I am evil, I try to avoid being just plain mean.
-Z
VAHLISSA
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/25/2009 06:42 PM CDT
How so very sad. My thoughts to his friends and family.
DRAKEWARLORD
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/28/2009 08:41 AM CDT
Thanks Kelsey. I did not know that.
Ironically, experience free diving is what saved me when I had pulmonary edema on the operating table. I blacked out but as I was going under I found myself flashing back to free diving and being just below the surface and out of air and believing that if I would just reach up my too heavy arms one more time and pull I could get air. I did so and came too sitting bolt up on an operating table holding onto some sort of aparatus handing over the table with a room full of totally freaked doctors and nurses.
I had been proud how far I could swim and how long before I had to come up. I believed the myth you were talking about.
--There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.--George Carlin
Ironically, experience free diving is what saved me when I had pulmonary edema on the operating table. I blacked out but as I was going under I found myself flashing back to free diving and being just below the surface and out of air and believing that if I would just reach up my too heavy arms one more time and pull I could get air. I did so and came too sitting bolt up on an operating table holding onto some sort of aparatus handing over the table with a room full of totally freaked doctors and nurses.
I had been proud how far I could swim and how long before I had to come up. I believed the myth you were talking about.
--There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.--George Carlin
YORSCHGRL
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/28/2009 09:44 PM CDT
Too many losses recently in the DR family ...
My heart is so sad to hear of the passing of Rudius!
I'm in shock. My thoughts and prays goes out to his family and friends.
Rudius was fond of hearing stories. I'll forever miss him asking Meidori 'Tell me a story ?' ....
Rudius was so excited about popping the question to a lady who had captured his heart. The ring he designed was beautiful. Did he get this chance? I'll never know.
Tragic , just tragic .
Fond thoughts and memories ,
Trish , Player of Meidori
My heart is so sad to hear of the passing of Rudius!
I'm in shock. My thoughts and prays goes out to his family and friends.
Rudius was fond of hearing stories. I'll forever miss him asking Meidori 'Tell me a story ?' ....
Rudius was so excited about popping the question to a lady who had captured his heart. The ring he designed was beautiful. Did he get this chance? I'll never know.
Tragic , just tragic .
Fond thoughts and memories ,
Trish , Player of Meidori
TOOTHLESSRAIDER
Re: In loving memory of Anthony Liaw, the player of Rudius
06/29/2009 07:19 AM CDT
This has been a great thread. Im sure he'd feel a lot of gratitude.
Adam
Adam
