Funeral For A Friend
May 6, 2008 · Print This Article
Sorry for not being very active with Ke Nalu this last week. I’m in San Diego helping the family of my closest friend, Barney Li, who died last Saturday in a motorcycle accident.
It’s just kind of taken the air out of me, but I really do feel a lot more like celebrating this remarkable man’s life than mourning his death. I could tell I was on the mend yesterday when I saw a SUP board on a van and immediately brightened up. I doubt I’ll have a chance to get in the water this week, but even the thought of it is cheering.
To all of you SUP friends, the most enjoyable quote I found when trying to find something wise to say about this tragedy is: “Never knock on death’s door, ring the bell and run away. Death hates that”.
Bill…not much can be said. I understand why you feel like celebrating his life. You better than anyone know the life he lived. In some of the discussions of recent tragic shark attack’s on standupzone I’ve said I’d rather go like that than to waste away over months or years. I regret that I never had the chance to meet Barney but from all the stories you’ve told I can only imagine that he might have felt the same. It almost seems fitting that it happened in a motorcycle accident.
I’ll raise a glass to a good friend of my brother tonight. Love you bro.