Thrasher Magazine

About a month ago, my friend Jordan Brown called. Although we'd been close friends, we hadn't spoken in a few years. He was reaching out to let me know he'd been diagnosed with cancer. They'd caught it very late, he was already receiving hospice care, and wanted to say good-bye. Shocked by the news, as well as his serene demeanor, I fumbled my words, clumsily searching for whatever seemed like the right thing to say. Jordan calmly took control of the conversation and steered us into an easy exchange about all the good times. It was a harsh reminder of how we human beings let petty, inconsequential things fracture relationships. I tried apologizing for the gap in our communication, but he gently shut down my attempts, and instead, left me with the sincere affirmation that we were solid, always had been, and that he was unequivocally at peace and unafraid to die. He sounded so strong, so measured, that even as he faced the greatest of all fears, I knew this to be the truth.

Jordan was all the things that truly matter. He was kind and loving, possessing a genuine desire to lend a helping hand. Despite these qualities that can mistakenly be perceived as soft, he was a monument of strength when it mattered most. Rest easy, my friend. You're the real deal.

—Tony Vitello