|
philbox
Moderator
Aug 8, 2007, 4:49 AM
Post #126 of 134
(8125 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 27, 2002
Posts: 13105
|
See ya Mike. I wish we could have gotten together like we talked about and did some scary stuff in Oz. You will be missed mate. I enjoyed those phone calls, wish the talks could have been in person.
|
|
|
|
|
brent_e
Aug 10, 2007, 3:36 AM
Post #127 of 134
(8022 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 5111
|
I never met Michael. I'm very sorry for the family and friends that he leaves behind and wish them the best and to be strong in this hard time.
|
|
|
|
|
rockies
Aug 10, 2007, 8:20 AM
Post #128 of 134
(7956 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 5, 2007
Posts: 105
|
I didn't know him personally, yet I am moved by all that has happened to such a great person. Like him I make people laugh around me, interact with people who I only just met, yet people would think we knew each other months/years. And I was made aware that that is a 'quality" not everyone posesses. Like me though, he would have got alot out of making others happy/ laugh/ or smile.
These things are always sad, especially when they leave behind a family, wife, and child.
He has gone to the top again, this time he won't be coming back down.
From a song, and when you think about it, the words are very true:
"Only the good die young"
|
|
|
|
|
rockies
Aug 10, 2007, 8:56 AM
Post #129 of 134
(7942 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 5, 2007
Posts: 105
|
In addition to the above; have you ever had any real experiences in your life where you felt that could not have just happened? Seriously. And on thinking hard about it, felt it can only be down to someone above, once close to you, looking after you? e.g. when everything has gone too well, too much good luck on an ongoing basis, and I for one; disbelieve anyone has that much luck; or when you felt you would have had a serious accident, but never did, be it mountain biking or whatever. Because I have.
Well think of it like this, for those that knew him, and were very close to him, he will no doubt still be with you, spiritually, but protecting you...
Perhaps someone else up above missed him too; so he was taken (in a wave). It was his time. It was meant to be..
I had a very close friend I knew from a young age, who was so close he was like a brother to me and I regarded him as such, as it was he I would always turn to whenever I was down, he had a knack of cheering me up in a split second. Our families were tremendously close. He was taken away due to cancer, he never told anyone except his wife until 2 days before he died, he had kept it all to himself. Not even his best friend or sister knew, because he was not selfish. He was a very strong, selfless person. He had a 6 month old son, and a wife of 2 yrs; his Dad had died not long before from a heart attack. I cried uncontrollably for the duration of his funeral.
Later on; without sounding cold I was relieved in the end that it was that way round, his Dad then him, because if he had died before his Dad had; that would have killed his Dad (they were hugely close).
And just maybe his Dad wanted and needed him still..
Those are thoughts I had. I still miss him hugely.
So like so many young/ famous people/ famous climbers/ and genuinely good people who leave us at a young age, and who are always well remembered by many; Michael Reardon was also taken at a young age, and now he too will never be forgotten, but he will still be here (in spirit). For those that think he will come back in person, you have to accept, and let go; until you meet again (the next time).
|
|
|
|
|
addiroids
Mar 13, 2009, 5:48 AM
Post #130 of 134
(6023 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 11, 2001
Posts: 1046
|
Haven't posted on here in a while, but just came across this again and it reminded me of what a fun positive guy Mike was. I still think about my dirtbag years in Joshua Tree from 2001-2004 where he would make my friend Stephanie and I laugh all evening long with his stories!
Condolences again to his wife and daughter.
Paul
|
|
|
|
|
rrrADAM
Oct 2, 2009, 5:48 PM
Post #131 of 134
(5435 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 19, 1999
Posts: 17553
|
Apparently, this pic was taken just minutes before he was taken...
RIP Bro... I looked up to you as a friend, mentor, and much more.
(This post was edited by rrrADAM on Oct 2, 2009, 6:32 PM)
|
|
Attachments:
|
Michael.JPG
(83.7 KB)
|
|
|
|
|
dreday3000
Oct 2, 2009, 5:59 PM
Post #132 of 134
(5417 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 15, 2006
Posts: 566
|
Pretty amazing last pick. That guy certainly got his moneys worth.
|
|
|
|
|
notapplicable
Oct 3, 2009, 6:50 PM
Post #133 of 134
(5267 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 31, 2006
Posts: 17771
|
rrrADAM wrote: Apparently, this pic was taken just minutes before he was taken... RIP Bro... I looked up to you as a friend, mentor, and much more.
Thats a great pic and a timely bump Adam.
I was at the local crag yesterday; I had the earphones in and was just zoning out and running laps and as my mind wandered it found it's way to both Reardon and Bachar. Two of the most talented and dedicated soloist this sport has ever seen, both lost within two years of one another. Thats HUGE!
The number of people who have chosen to make unroped climbing their craft and who practice it at a high level for an extended period of time is very small and that already small circle has recently gotten, in a sense, unimaginably more so. Yes there are practitioners, many of which don't share their accomplishments but we have very few dedicated and passionate soloists. Even someone like Honnold who is doing amazing things without a rope isn't a soloist in the same sense that Woods is a boulderer or sharma is a sport climber.
Not that I think anyone needs to, or should specialize. I have a lot of respect for the "all arounders" who have equal passion for multiple disciplines, I just see soloists as an endangered species of sorts. Losing two masters of this particular discipline creates a large deficit in their numbers and may further obscure how much something as simple as soloing can embody so much of the spirit and heart of this sport.
All of which is just a long winded way of saying that your right, Reardon is missed and rightly so. Even by people like myself who would likely have never met him had he live to be 100. He was important to this sport in life and continues to be so in memory. In more ways than I'm really capable of putting a finger on, let alone articulating.
RIP indeed.
|
|
|
|
|
i_h8_choss
Nov 14, 2009, 1:05 PM
Post #134 of 134
(4986 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 2, 2007
Posts: 694
|
notapplicable wrote: rrrADAM wrote: Apparently, this pic was taken just minutes before he was taken... RIP Bro... I looked up to you as a friend, mentor, and much more. Thats a great pic and a timely bump Adam. I was at the local crag yesterday; I had the earphones in and was just zoning out and running laps and as my mind wandered it found it's way to both Reardon and Bachar. Two of the most talented and dedicated soloist this sport has ever seen, both lost within two years of one another. Thats HUGE! The number of people who have chosen to make unroped climbing their craft and who practice it at a high level for an extended period of time is very small and that already small circle has recently gotten, in a sense, unimaginably more so. Yes there are practitioners, many of which don't share their accomplishments but we have very few dedicated and passionate soloists. Even someone like Honnold who is doing amazing things without a rope isn't a soloist in the same sense that Woods is a boulderer or sharma is a sport climber. Not that I think anyone needs to, or should specialize. I have a lot of respect for the "all arounders" who have equal passion for multiple disciplines, I just see soloists as an endangered species of sorts. Losing two masters of this particular discipline creates a large deficit in their numbers and may further obscure how much something as simple as soloing can embody so much of the spirit and heart of this sport. All of which is just a long winded way of saying that your right, Reardon is missed and rightly so. Even by people like myself who would likely have never met him had he live to be 100. He was important to this sport in life and continues to be so in memory. In more ways than I'm really capable of putting a finger on, let alone articulating. RIP indeed.
Very kind words.
When I was living in Jtree a few years ago I always would see Michael soloing something, or see him driving around the park, run into him at HVCG, exchange some small talk. He was a pretty intense guy, and I always thought he had this bad-ass ego attached to him. Then I started soloing some easy routes and I figured out that he is what he is because he is. That's his wonderful character, this intensity. I immediately had a ton of respect for this guy. I looked up to him. Amazingly talented, even outside of rock climbing.
It's been a horrible year for accidents in climbing and mountaineering. We as climbers need to do the best that we can out there in the following year, and keep our family and friends content with what we do. We do what we do cause we love it.
R.I.P. to all those who have passed on in this last year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
