Thursday, March 27, 2008

My dear friend Justin (March 8, 1981-March 18, 2008)


I feel that I am ready to write a little about the events of the last week. Justin Wright, one of my closest friends past away on Tuesday the 18th. We met on the second day of Calarts.....
Eric Favela and I, were prowling the dormitory, looking to meet fellow freshmen animators. The goal was simple. Meet new people, get jazzed up about the upcoming school year, and get blind drunk. So, going door to door, we came to Mike and Justin's room. The room had Disney and Pixar stuff everywhere, we new we had struck gold. After a lot of persuading they both agreed to hang out with us, so we heading back to my dorm room to to chat and get drunk. The only problem was... neither of them drank.......at all. I simply could not understand the concept of grown men not drinking. Justin sat on a chair and played guitar, while Eric kept asking him if he wanted to do a shot. Gradually the evening became more and more uncomfortable, as we got drunker and drunker, while Justin and Mike just smiled and made small talk. It was not long before they ran for the hills. Justin later told me, as they left my dorm room he said to mike...


" Well one thing is for sure, we will not be hanging out with those guys." - Oh how wrong he was.


Justin ending up getting the workspace opposite ours for the freshman year. It was the start of a wonderful, once in a lifetime friendship.


Justin was not only talented, he was extremely kind hearted. Always eager to show others the beauty of life. Justin was constantly helping those in need. He was always eager to have a debate, and to challenge both himself and those around him. He was even my sponsor to stay in the US. He was the master of Halo, and had an obsessive passion for video games. He loved his Steinbeck. He loved God and Jesus. He loved his family more that words can describe. He loved his friends. He loved his work. He loved every second of life. He was a brother to me, and I firmly believe he made me a better person.


Thanks dude.


You will always be in my heart.