It took me a couple of days to gather my thoughts and emotions, as Will and I were very close friends during my time in Baton Rouge. We were also training partners for a while, running around a soccer complex or the BR lakes sharing stories about life as men in their early 20's do. I remember vividly when he mentioned being interested in a young lady named Kerri. And if you knew anything about Will at that time, he seemed to have the same sense of calm resolve about the good and the bad. So when he mentioned Kerri during a 5am run, I knew he was serious and was already in the planning stages of their marriage. I will never forget how convinced he was that she was the lady for him and how he had already envisioned growing a family with her. They did get married and had beautiful children. Like most runners, we discussed so many aspects about life while running and found that we had so much more in common than not. We supported each other in every aspect and I continue to respect him tremendously. I eventually moved from the Baton Rouge area and life landed him in Texas, but we always kept in touch up until his last hospital visit.
Will has a legacy, as we will all leave behind. And like us all, that legacy is contigent upon our own individual interpretations of our unique experiences with him. To me, Will was an incredibly spiritual person, loving son, father, and husband. He fought this cancer with all his might and shared the tragedy of this terrible illness with the world. Will and his family allowed us, all who chose to, to witness every step of the ugly fight against cancer. He laughed, cried, and shared his fears publicly.
Will also loved running and everything about it. He posted here regularly and was a major contributor to this site. He remains one of the most knowledgeable individuals I've ever met who could go in-depth about a broad range of topics: politics, spirituality, social ideology, and economics. However, he lit up when given the opportunity to share his passion for running. I can't think of anything he would not do to help any runner on any level get better if he could. With such little natural talent specific to running, he truly put as much energy as possible into making himself a better runner and person. I always got the impression that running and spirituality were deeply woven into his DNA that seemed to keep him grounded, yet transcending beyond social problems.
I admire Will now more than I did before. Even in his passing, I have learned from him. He has reminded me that it's not what you do in this life, it's not how much or little you owned, but your legacy lies in how much you loved others, how you demonstrated that love, and how much you gave unselfishly.