 |
| Vance the Diver (photo courtesy of Claire Bradin) |
Some time in the last few days Vance Stevens left this earth. The man who coined the word ‘webheads’. Our main cat herder. The man who kept us all together - for decades. The man who showed us all how enjoyable it was to learn and grow together. The man who never tired of creating opportunities to connect us.
Several times today I’ve found myself in tears. It's really hit home just how much Vance meant to me. Absorbing
the fact that he won’t be around to gather us all together anymore is
unthinkable at the moment. It’s like the internet has died. For me Vance was
kind of synonymous with the internet. It, he, opened so many doors for me. Because
of Vance I have visited countries I would never have seen; I have met so many
wonderful people that have become close friends. And what I learnt from him on
a professional level would take a book to document it all.
And he was a dear friend. Vance’s legacy will be huge, but the
fact that he showed how our social and professional lives could enrich each
other was a stroke of genius. I loved him and learned from him. As an equal; as
a peer, as a fellow traveller out there on the world’s highways. I won’t ever forget
what he did for me, and I’m sure many of us here will feel the same.
Of course it was us, the Webheads, that collectively made
all this magic happen. But it was Vance’s idea. He started it. And he continued
weaving that magic as long as he was able.
Tears continue to fall and I’m sure they will for a few days yet. Thank you dear man. I loved you Vance. We all did.
Some links to Vance's legacy:
