RF Generation Message Board

It is with great sadness I share with all of you that Mike “Lord Nepenthean” Collins' life was tragically cut short. Mike was one of the founding members of RF Generation and also its webmaster.

Following is a quote from Mike posted on the staff page:

“This web site is my baby, and the fact that I can combine it with video games is truly a (small) dream come true.”

All staff members, including myself, will continue to work on this site as we always have. We think keeping this site active is one of the best tributes we can do for Mike.

With everyone's help, we will adopt the baby he left behind and help his dream flourish.

WTF?

http://dunes.cincinnati.com/classifieds/obits/obitdisplay.aspx?d=2/3/2006&st=1&id=548996

Do we know what happened?

Wow, that is truly sad news. My condolences to his friends and family.  :'(

This is sad. What happened?

Is this a joke?  What is going on?

All the details we have as of now are in the obituary...
Maybe Eddie will know more about it.

It is terrible news.
It truely is a great loss to all those who have known him and all those who may have in the future.

I thought he was on yesterday?!

No it is not a joke. I wish it wasn't true.   :(

Maybe his Mom checking the site or possibly Eddie (storm) using his profile?

I saw Mike's user profile online this morning. I allready had known about the tragedy however  :'(




May he rest in peace.

My condolences to his close "real life" friends and family as well. As it has been suggested in another discussion. This web site was Mike's "baby" I say we adopt.........

Such a young bright individual with so much to offer. I knew Mike only through this site and many conversations about it, but he will be missed by me.

I know this wont help now, but know this..... Time can and does heal, but never forget!

I wont forget you Mike.

OMG! :(

My condolences as well. He always had excellent insight and perspectives on our hobby. It was always a pleasure to read his posts.

Very tragic. He will be missed.

 :'( i hate to see/read things like this. He did excellent work to this site, with help of others of course. i did not know him personally, but i'm sure he was an outstanding human being and forever will be missed by his family and friends. as this site grows and grows into something special, it will be done in your honer. Thank you for sharing a part of your life with us..RIP Lord Nep, you'll be missed......and like Cap'n N said, "always remembered."

My God....I have no idea what to say.  Mike was certainly one of my favorites in the gaming community.  He will surely be missed.  I'll say a prayer for him at Mass tomorrow.

Damn this sucks....I will help anyone and everyone in the best of my abilities (which ain't much) to help with this site in Mike's memory...just ask and I'll do my best.

Thank you very much. The best thing you can do it continue to add info/scans, point out errors in the database and keeping posting about missing games.

Damn, so sad. Now I won't have anyone to reprimand me for stupid posts.

R.I.P.  Nep

truly a sad day for all. my  condolences to his family.

Damn... :'(    

As a newer member here, I didn't know him that well, and it's sad that I never will.

R.I.P. Mike.  

First Doug's little brother and now Mike.  What a tragic day. :(  I personally did not know Mike but from the little I did chat with him on here he was a very helpful and intelligent person.  I'm glad is obsession with video games caused him to make the best and most awesome site on the web and I'm glad I found this site.  He was always nice and witty and I wish I would have joined sooner so I could have met him sooner.  I still remember when I said to Mike what if this site goes away and he said it will never go away.  Let's keep up with his baby and may you join us in your afterlife in the chatroom.  You will truly be missed Mike.  I don't even know you and I shed a tear.  It's like my long lost brother has died.  :'(

I first met Mike way back in the old Video Game Bible days. I've never met him in person but have known him through through the sites for almost 5 years. When Mike first founded RFG he asked me to be a member of the staff. I've always been grateful for that and have really enjoyed helping him build RFG to what it is today.

I plan on continuing to help out here as well. This is a great place and it's a piece of Mike that we'll always have. Keeping it going is a great way to honor his memory.

I will always fondly remember the times I shared with Mike through RFG. I will miss you man. God Bless and RIP.

Oh my god, awful news. DigitalSpace says so concisely what I've been struggling to put into words. RIP.

Wow...so unexpected...

I agree that we need to keep this site going.  That's what Mike would want.  My condolences to all his family and friends.  May he rest in peace.

Holy shit.

I'm very sorry :( To everyone here and to everyone who was close to him.

My condolences to friends and family. I didn't know him, but enjoyed his posts and dedication to this place. It's so sad to lose anyone so young.  :(

This message is coming from Mike's Mom -- I hope I'm doing this right.  Thank you all for your kind words about Mike -- he was very special and will be missed greatly by his family and friends.  I'm sure he's happy that so many of you plan to adopt his "baby" and keep this site alive.  One other thing that you can do that he would appreciate:  Mike's dad and I have asked Eddie (I forget his name on the site -- I think it has something to do with a pirate) to go through Mike's huge video game collection and sell most of it.  All of the money raised will be sent to an orphanage in Peru where Mike did some mission work.  Any help that you can give Eddie will be appreciated.  Thanks so much!  Pat Collins

Your first post was fine. I have told Eddie I will help sell Mike's games on various different video game sites and Ebay.

Best wishes in you time of need.

ohSNAP!!!!
Well, if that doesn't put a damper on the day.

I never had the chance to meet Mike in person, but I did have the pleasure of knowing getting to know him online over the past three and a half, or four years.  Like den, first on the Video Game Bible, then here on the RFgeneration and even though I never did meet him in person I still considered him somewhat of a friend.  He was one of the nicest and coolest people I've ever known.  My condolences go out to his family and friends.  I'll miss and never forget Mike.

Tynstar -- thanks so much.  I can by some of the posts that many of you are wondering what happened with Mike.  He apparently was very upset over some things going on in his life,  and he temporarily forgot about all the people who cared so much for him, and he chose to end his life.  The police told us that it appears that he died instantly.  He's at peace now.  We really appreciate all of your prayers and kind words.  -- Pat Collins

I really have no idea what to say, but I feel the need to give my condolences to Mike's family.  While I never knew him very well, I felt this tragedy deeply.  He was a great guy.

I'm not a member for long so i did not khew him but i give mine condolences to his familly and friends.
R.I.P. Mike. :'(

I dont know what to say.......

I have gotten to know Mike here and there from the old VGB days with Den and some more recently when I needed a little advice, Mike came through for me.

I haven't been on this board as much as I used to on VGB because of family obligations that came about the same time Mike started up RFG. He welcomed me here with open arms and I have been happy to have called myself a part of his baby and community.

I find myself sitting here reading these posts, having never even met Mike in person, yet I am sitting here crying for a friend I only knew through digital text.

To Mike's family and close friends, please know what a kind and great person Mike had become. It is now he can do gods work from a higher more powerful place.

Rest in Peace Michael Collins...Rest in Peace......

Kamino posted about this on hardcore gaming
From people who are not members here,

DarkRaven64:
I didnt know who he was but my condolences go out to his friends and family, may him and his soul rest in peace.

Archmagus of Roo:
I've never been to RFGeneration, but I'm sad to hear this nonetheless. My prayers go out to his friends and family.

May the gods watch over him... :(

From all the Staff and Members on hardcoregaming.org our prayers are with his family and friends. RIP Mike  :'(  

Mike was a really good buddy of mine, he's one of the last people I spent time with before I moved. Hell, he was one of the few people who helped me with my move which says a lot being that he had to drive for 4 hours just to get to me. We had fun when he came to visit, we had fun working on the site and other little projects. I feel like a total shit for not being able to attend his funeral. I feel like even more of a shit for not being able to do much for the site at the moment too. I really dunno what to say.

I am glad to see all of you posting and especially Mrs. Collins. Mike loved this site and we'll continute to make it grow and kick ass. There isn't anything I can say to make things better or easier. Just that I'm glad to see everyone coming together and being cool to each other.

What can you say to a mom when something like this happens that doesn't sound trite in comparison to her loss?

I'm so truly sorry.  

Hi everyone, this is Mike's little sister, Sue.  I just wanted to thank all of you so much for what you are doing.  My big brother was amazing with computers and spent a lot of time working on them.  It seems like 99% of the time that i saw him on the computer he was on this site.  He loved it. It truly was his baby.  I know he's smiling up there when he sees all of you working together to keep his baby running.  I honestly don't think my family could ever thank you all enough.

Keep doing what you are doing.
--Sue Collins

Jesus. I'd like to thank the Collins family on behalf of everyone at RF Generation for looking in on the site while this is still so fresh. It can't be easy but I'm sure whereever Mike is he's smiling like mad that you're showing your support for the love of his life :girl:

It's been very comforting to me to check the site and see all of your messages.  Laurel -- don't feel bad that you couldn't make it to the funeral.  MIke certainly understands.
-- Mrs. Collins

Eddie,
Sorry I can't help more with the site and stuff, I tried when he had VGB but I was more the comic relief on the posting page thingy b/c I don't know anything bout video games.  If you need any help tho, please let me know.  And also... I can't figure out how to find that pic he had under the staff page, I can't even find the staff page...could you help me out with that.  Thanks!
Cindy

I will always remember...

Here is a link to the staff page.

http://www.rfgeneration.com/staff.shtml

To Pat and Sue, I want to welcome you to RFGen and thank you for taking the time to read through everyone's comments.  I hope they can bring you some consolation in this very difficult time.

I want to personally express my condolences to you and the rest of your family.  Mike was one of my best friends and it was very difficult to see this happen to him.  As you said, he was very upset and in the confusion forgot about all the people who cared so much for him.  If there is anything at all that I can do to help out please let me know.  Scott and many others have volunteered to help me sell Mike's games.  I think it will be a fitting tribute to sell his games to those who love them as much as he did.  The money could not go to a better cause than the Peru mission trip fund.  I know Mike is smiling down from heaven right now.  Rest in Peace, Mike.  We will always keep it on channel 3!

To the staff and members of RFGen, I want to truly thank all of you for what you have done for the site, and most importantly what you have done for Mike.  As Scott said in the quote he found of Mike's, this site and his friends here were one of the best things to happen to him.  Even though we are all separated by hundreds of thousands of miles and are both young and old, we all came together around Mike and the common hobby of video games and made RFGen what it is today.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank all of you for being as kind and loving friends that you were to him.  I don't think he could have asked for better people.  

Eddie

PS. Cindy, click the link below to find the staff page.

http://www.rfgeneration.com/staff.shtml

I am so sorry to hear about this tragic loss.  My condolences go out to everyone who knew Mike on any level.  I admire the unity and support  that is booming in this online community. I unfornutely never knew Mike, but from the maturity of the members here I can see that this IS a great place. I would like to thank Mike for such a great site and group of people that he brought together.
-Josh

My condolences to his family and friends.  I did not know him, but it's very tragic news to hear.  I really enjoy his site and love reading these forums.  Here's hoping this site carries on his memory.

Jeff

Since Wednesday (February, 1), I can't begin to tell the emotions that I've experienced. From numbness, to shock, to pain, the stark reality that Mike is gone has surely ran the gambit of emotions for me as well as many other people who were close and not so close to him. It was just last Saturday we were at my house playing Balderdash, getting Mike on a DDR pad, and having a rather good time. Nothing that night would ever have hinted at the thoughts going through Mike's mind. Mike just seemed like the unique friend that I had known for 15 years.

The process of saying good bye to a friend that you have known for so long is extremely tough. I am sure there will instances where I will wonder if Mike would want to go with us, only to remember that he is gone. To Mr. and Mrs. Collins, Ann and Sue, I offer my most sincere condolences. As Eddie has said, it is very saddening and difficult to see this happen to Mike, and in the process of coming to terms with his death know that Mike fostered and nurtured not only the community you see here at RFGeneration, but also communities at St. James, St. Xavier, Peru, and many, many other places.

The memories I have of Mike I will never forget. I will always remember the experiences we shared. I will remember the tuxedos he used to wear to school, and his “Cthulhu for President” shirt. While I won't be voting for Cthulhu in 2008, he can smile up heaven knowing that I will remember that shirt when I am at the polls. I will remember going up to Cedar Point in 2003, and experiencing the Great Blackout of 2003 at the world's best amusement park. Working at Kings Island was a rather stressful job where seeing friends was a rarity and a luxury, and to go up there (for dirt cheap) with one my good friends was a refreshing breath of air. I will remember going up to Clifton Gorge with Eddie, Tim, and Mike, and taking a picture inside a slump block cave, not knowing that he was looking directly back in the direction of my camera. That picture was just the picture to win the RFGen Birthday contest:

(http://www.rfgeneration.com/yabbattach/Mikewillkillme.jpg)

These memories and so many more I will cherish forever.

You may be gone Mike, but your communities and the memories that you helped create will live on. Rest in peace, Mike.

-David

I dunno what to write,i am not all to long a member here but i'm always sad to read news like this.I didn't know him personal but it was always great to read the posts.My condolences to his family and all the people here who knew him,may he rest in peace.

My god, I know I haven't posted here recently, and I actually clicked the link in my favourites by accident.

This is completely tragic news, my condolences to all of Mike's friends and family. He was always a an intelligent chap when posting on here and he worked hard to keep this place alive.

Really shocking... I can't really put it any other way.

Rest In Peace.

P.S., I think it would also be fitting for Mike's stuff to be listed in the Sales Extravaganza section.

It will be keep checking back.

Wow this sure is upsetting to hear about, all my best wishes go out to his family, despite now knowing Mike personaly I definitly will miss him.

Wow, this is very surprising and my thoughts go out to Mike's family.

I know I don't post here much anymore, but I still use the site to keep track of my collection, and always read through posts here.  I really don't know what else to say.  If I get some extra money I would be glad to buy some of his stuff, knowing that it is going to a good cause.

I just wanted to add in that I had only talked with Mike a few weeks ago about adding severa NES pic's that were missing from the website and that he seemed like a really nice guy.  
My condolenscences to his family and friends and I will remember him in prayers.
A good person is always missed, and I'm sure he's standing on the golden shore with the biggest game website he has ever seen right now!!
kimble989

I haven't been posting on here for vey long and only spoke to Mike a couple of times but he seemed a really nice guy, like all of the people on these boards really. My deepest condolances go out to his friends and family.
I hope this website continues to grow in a fitting memory to him and I, as well I'm sure, everyone else will try and do so.

I'm finding it hard to express exactly how I feel about this.

Mike was a terrific guy.  Back in the Video Game Bible days, he was one of the first people to actually make me feel welcome in the community.

I can only imagine what those that were closest to him are going through right now.  As a community, please know that we share your pain and know that our prayers are with you.

:'(

I've been on RFG for most of its existance, though I don't often post, I've been around.  That said, I have been in the chat a number of times.  Nep and I talked quite a few times in the chat, and I always found him to be friendly and quite entertaining.
I'm very sad to hear of his passing.  It is good that Scott, Rick, and the rest of the folks here are keeping Nep's baby going and growing...
Nep will be missed more than he could have ever known

That's terrible indeed. He was always one of the nicest guys around here and also Video Game Bible. All the best to his family.

I haven't been a member of RFG for that long, but Nep was one guy that really made me feel welcome.  I also really enjoyed reading the news items that he brought to the boards.  
I don't get to get online or post on this site much, but it is obvious that Nep (along with everyone else that worked on this site) really loved this hobby and did everything that he could to contribute to our community.  

I hope that this site continues to grow in rememberance of its fallen father.  He will be missed. All the best to his family and friends.  

I sit here in complete disbelief. I constantly look over my shoulder in hopes that he will be there, standing behind me as he always was. Mike and I were the best of friends. We shared an interest in living a life full of adventure.

More specifically, I wanted to come here to share what I know of Mike and his committment to this site and the friends he made through it. He expressed that working on this site was not only an interest of his, but also uplifting. He was so modest with the work you have all done to make this a site worthy of recognition. He would scour the isles at thrift stores and garage sales trying to find good v.game buys. We talked some nights about adding new features while taking screen shots with emulators (v.game vocab getting over my head here) or playing cooperative Tetris until our eyes where wet with v.game persperation.

I am so relieved to hear  that everyone will continue what is a great database for v.games. I spoke with Mike before trying to be a silent force in supporting this site. I will continue to do so.

My thoughts and love will forever be with Mike and his parents and with all of his friends. Eddie, Dave, and Laurel I want you to know I am thinking of you.

I do believe Mike is at peace. I would also say that the spirit takes on many facets. His spirit is in this site and the people whom he has reached out to in friendship, love, kindness, intellect...it would take volumes to describe. I will take comfort in knowing his spirit is in this community and in me.

Love,
Pamela

When in the chat room with 3-4 people I am still waiting for him to join. I still check  to see if he is logged in on AIM.  :'(

I'm going to miss him in the chatroom...

Garbbing a few more quotes from DP this time:

77punk:
So sorry to hear, expesially so young. My thoughts go out to the family and freinds. :'(

THATinkjar:
This is awful news :'(

pacmanhat:
Oh my...I'm so sorry to hear this. My prayers go out to Mike, his family and his friends both in the virtual world as well as the real one.

Balloon Fight:
Truly sad news whenever someone has their life cut so short. RIP Mike, you will be missed.

Mayhem:
What Balloon Fight said. I vaguely the remember the name around here from time to time. Always sad when someone in the community is lost so young.

If I remember correctly I only met him once, and it was back in 2003 I think, at CGE when he and Andy Slaven and the rest of the Video Game Bible guys were releasing their book. I kind of joked with him (because he was a "new guy" to the CG community, at least from what I remember), and I got him and the rest of their bunch to sign my copy. He seemed like a nice kid, a bit shy, but obviously devoted to his endeavor. And I found out about RFGeneration only a little while ago (a month maybe?), seeing that he was there now continuing with the same kind of work.

Retroyoungen:
R.I.P. Mike. You were a good guy, and it's a real shame that you've had to go so early. If there is a heaven, then enjoy it there; and if you see him, beat God in a couple of rounds of some game for me, OK? lol

-Kevin

VideoGameBible:
This is terrible news. I wish his family and friends the best. One thing is sure, Mike will always be remembered by those who knew him.

Andy

__________________________________________________



As has already been stated i still see his name on the top of my RFGen listings on MSN and AIM and wonder when he is going to log on...

I am pretty much still at a loss of words on what to say.
But i am glad that we have been able to give some degree of comfort to his family just through our comments.

I wish so much more that that RFGen meet actually was able to happen...

I've also been at a loss of words on what to say.  I definitely want to send out my condolences to his family and friends.  

I've known Mike through RFGen since I joined here almost a year ago.  It was his dedication and professionalism as well as his friendly character that motivated me to help out here, and I am grateful that he allowed me to be part of the team.  Thanks to Mike and the site & community that he founded, I have had many positive experiences in my collecting hobby and the gaming community.  These positive experiences are what really pulled me back into the collecting habit, and have led to some great memories in the past year.

I miss Mike's presence here, but I'm confident that he's in a peaceful place now.  Like others have said, the best thing to do is keep his dream alive and kicking, and I will gladly do my part in helping out.  

Rest in peace, Mike...

Now that my computer is back in order…
I would like to start off by expressing my condolences to the Collins family. I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through in this time.

Even though I didn't know him as long as his grade school friends, I still considered Mike one of my best friends.  Mike and I met in high school, and became good friends during junior year, when the LAN party craze started. Once that began, Mike (and Dave and Eddie from this board) would be in my basement every third weekend, fragging away at whatever enemy stood in our way.  I also remember the mornings when everyone else had already given up on the night and went to sleep yet Mike and I would be swapping files as fast as the hub could go.  

But it wasn't just the gaming.  Mike also introduced me to the world of photography.  I doubt I will ever be as talented as he was (he just had the eye for photography).  I remember one night when I had just got my new camera and Mike and I were taking a pano of downtown from the hills overlooking Cincy. (Of course his turned out, mine didn't.)

After reading through this thread, it's good to know that RFGen will be taken care of and that the RFGen community is so supportive.  Eddie, if you need help with some of the scripting I should be able to help a little. (Give me some time to get used to Perl and I should be able to help a lot.)

The true reality of what happened hasn't yet hit home for me.  Living out of town for the past two and a half years has made visiting with the people in Cincy only a monthly occurrence.  The conscious mind knows, but the unconscious mind still doesn't believe.  As Dave mentioned earlier, we will still think of inviting Mike on whatever weekend plans we may have.  

Rest in peace, Mike.

-Jay

Once again, I'd like to thank all of you for your posts.  It has been very comforting for us to read the kind things that you have said about Mike, and we appreciate all of your prayers.
-- Pat Collins

i to fist talked to him back on the old VGB days.. just now read this on DigitalPress.. and man sure does suck.. very sorry to be writing this, and reading about it..

/hug to his family and firends very sad

Hi.

I just joined this site today, and it is because of Mike. I am his cousin, and I was thinking about him so I did a google search to find the websites that he created, and helped create. Looking through this site, it screams Mike. So many of the little pictures for the user icons and the posts that he wrote on here...that's exactly his personality.  I spent a decent amount of time and got close to him on many different levels, this summer in particular. We talked a lot about web design, computers, video games, and our mutual love of film. I used to check the Video Game Bible often, and he told me that he no longer worked on it, I just could never remember the name of the new site when I was near a computer.  I do know from talking to him, however, that he loved this site and working on it and pretty much every thing about video games. (Almost any time we got together we'd play games, but he and my other cousin Eric would spend most of the time beating me {in the game} and making fun of me. Randomly enough the last game I played with him on Christmas was Pictionary on Yahoo. It was hilarious) It's really neat to hear how many of you never met him in person, but still got to see how great of a person he was.  Although I got a bit teary-eyed, I was very comforted to read everything that you all had to say about him. I'm glad that you are all going to keep this site up and running, and help out to sell his video games. The orpanage in Peru was another one of his loves (He told me that going to Peru changed his life), and he'd be honored to see the money from his games sent there. I don't know exactly where the rest of this post is going, I do know that I loved Mike very much, and am very grateful to know of and read about every one else who did too.

--Christy Crawford

I was away for a while and just found out today. Mike definitely made this a friendly community site from the beginning and my favorite gaming site by far. It's great that his collection will benefit the school in Peru he did the mission work at. I'm glad the other administrators will keep the site going.

I met Mike a few time at Game Swap and he was a great person.

well, I thought I had posted in this topic, but I guess it was the topic in the staff forum (which the Collin's probably got the chance to read) but anyway, my condolences go out to everyone....his family, friends....

i feel terrible for your loss and i know that nothing i say can help........

tholly -- where would I find the staff forum that you referred to?  I haven't read that.
Thanks,
Mrs. Collins

that forum is for people on the rfgen staff....im sure one of us would have no problem pulling the condolences out of it for you.......or, if your using mike's login, it would be the forum at the very bottom of the forum listings....

It is the forum third from the bottom. forum called Kingdom of Ends .

I haven't had the chance to post to the boards in a few weeks due to some other things I have going on, but I been checking the site and needed to post something here first now that I am back.  I would first like to extend my condolences to Mike's family.  Having three boys of my own I just can't imagine what you are going thru.  My thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.  

I have only known Mike thru the online community of this site for the past year but in that short time have grown to appreciate and respect him in many ways.  I already miss his humor and insightful perspectives of gaming and the gaming industry.

I don't know why Mike chose Nepenthean as his username but I have been thinking about that a lot since I hearing this news.  It may have more than one meaning but my understanding of the word is that it is something that helps you get over grief or sorrow.  Seems this is something we could all use right now.

-Brian

Very sad news, first my condolences to his family and friends. I hope this site will stay there for ever to keep his spirit alive on the web.

Adri

Well, I dropped out of the retro scene altogether a few months ago, and only just heard the sad news today. :(

He was a good bloke, I only knew him from this board, and VGB. Glad to see that his site will carry on anyway.

I just found out about this news today and I wanted to say that this is extremely sad news.  I too have known Mike since the VideoGameBible days and he will be missed.  He was very intelligent and always had an open mind, and very thoughtful ideas/comments to share.  RIP my friend.

OD

I haven't been a member for long at all, but I heard about this on the Digial Press forums.

All I can say is thank you for helping to create an amazing site.

Like Joker_T, I haven't been around here much. But just spending time on this site and in this community makes it clearly evident of what Mike was about, his passion for video games, and his passion for gamers. It saddens me to think that a life like his was cut so tragically short, but I'm grateful he was here long enough to create this place and to make so many people happy. He will always be missed and never forgotten.

Thanks guys. Mike truley was a great person.

Hello to everybody, I know this is kinda late but here I am. This is a friend of Michael and it's my first time as a member of this website. I wish I have joined before (way back when he introduced it to me ) I know how much he loved this project and  I am glad that everybody is contributing on it's growing I am sure he is really happy knowing that you all care about his "baby"
Anyways, for me Mike was like my brother and my best friend since the time that I met him (in Peru) I barely  knew words in English and he was always trying to speak Spanish and eventually we learned many ways to comunicate until I learned English and of course he was always trying Spanish.  
When I got to cinci, besides my parents, he was the only person who will care about things that were related to Peru and  always share everything with me. Sometimes I think he knew more than I did about my country, but that was because he was Mike, he was open to the life of other cultures and to the life of other people.
I am so grateful for knowing him and his family and I want to thank to everybody for your prayers, you are also in mine.
I also want to say thank you to the Collins and other people involved on doing the sale of the games to support the orphanage in  Peru; I was once one of those kids up there, and if they knew about your donation and support and the effort to make this happen they would also say, "Muchas gracias" for your support. Even though that I don't know everybody here I will keep you in my prayers.
Mike will be always in our hearts and also in the memories of the many little kids, teenagers, and adults that he encountered in Peru.


Mariana

It's really nice to see a memorial now started on this site. It'll also be nice to see that picture in Tynstar's sig go back up in the top right for the remainder of the month if possible I think.

I originally joined this site before the tragic event but never used the forum until much later on so unfortunately never got a chance to know Michael, but can tell by everyone's  kind words it truly was my lose.

My thoughts go out to all of his friends and family at this time, as it's always hardest when the anniversary of tragic events like this happen  we are hit by the reality of it all and thrown into disbelief that it's already been a whole year. But like many have said, while he may physically no longer be with us, he dose live on, in each and every one of your hearts.

Hey Mariana, nice to finally see you on the site. 

That was a nice post you made.  I know a lot of us feel the same way.

Don't be a stranger, even if you're not into video games a lot of people here knew Mike pretty well.  He started a pretty good community here at RFGen and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Eddie

Edit: I just found out your post was last May, sorry I missed it back then, the thread got burried and I didn't see it until now.

Just want to post, I still think of Nep from time to time. I liked him.

Ever once in a while, I come acrossed this thread. And I read the whole thing. It makes me wish that I had had the chance to join early, before... Well... Ya know... I get all choked up just thinking about losing my grandma, let alone one of my best friends. You guys are doing a great job at keeping Mike's dream alive. Don't ever stop.

I remeber him as this cool retro fan with assorted flower pots on his head. On account of his avatar, which I didn't recognise or get at the time.

His avatar was actually of Devo singer Mark Mothersbaugh. That said, thanks for the kind words about Mike. We miss him a lot.

Whenever I see Devo I am instantly reminded of Michael.
I'm sure he would be proud to see how much his baby has grown.

RIP Nep

I think about Mike frequently. Especially when I think about my wedding. The last time I talked to him I had to cut him short because we'd arrived at the store to pick out our wedding rings. Knowing that I very well may have been the last person he talked to really sucks. Maybe if I'd stayed on the phone I could have said something. Instead I didn't say fuck-all. Just call you later and see ya. I'm well aware that I shouldn't feel guilty but I always will. That's something that crosses my mind every time I visit the site.

I remember the last time Mike came to visit well. That was good times. I even hooked him up with my Super Mario Bros. sheets. I never even slept on those myself. He was worthy though  ;D I still feel like a jackass about going out to dinner though. I'd forgotten for a minute he was a year too young to get into certain establishments without proper ID. Tried to take him to a joint called Fat Heads. They have really awesome food. I felt like a total shit about that. It was easy to forget how young he was. He was beyond his years for sure.  The one thing I was never able to do is delete his save files off my PSP. I still have them. Still have him on my AIM list too.

I think it is sweet how you have kept his saves and are keeping him on your AIM list, I would do the same.

With any huge tragedy, we always replay it in our minds, and think, what if this had happened, or I had done that instead, would things would of been different. I'll bet no one had any idea that things would of turned out the way they did, not even yourself.

One thing I do know though, is that Michael wouldn't want you to blame yourself in anyway or feel guilty about it.

We all have our own special stories of Mike.  Just looking at the responses in this thread will show you how much he meant to the RFGen community that he founded, let alone how much he meant to us who knew him as a personal friend.  I still think about him even to this day.  I'm glad this thread was brought back up, it shows how hard it is to forget someone who meant so much to us.