Mikee Lives Forever... I wish I'd known him

I logged on yesterday to the following Ironworks group notice from Marcus Steeplechase.

WE ARE IN GRIEF

Mikee Larnia passed away today. A blood clot from his earlier accident found its way to his heart.

I have heard from his friends that he would have wanted us to get together, to be together for him. So if you wish to bring flowers or perhaps a candle, we will be in Heroes Square at 6PM, and Angel Square at 8PM. We will be playing songs that he enjoyed.

This kind of message will cause you to take a moment, no matter who you are. I didn’t know Mikee and now I feel a little sad that I never met him. I had big plans in SL for the day, several parties to go to and things to do, but wondered if maybe I should take some time to go pay my respects regardless. Well, I pulled Mikee’s profile and looked at it for a bit... Nope, this is not someone I have met. I decided against going and moved on with my day.

Later, while dancing at the Zippers party, a friend told me that he did remember Mikee and that he wanted to go. My friend didn’t want to go alone and asked if I would go with him. This seemed more appropriate so I agreed, changed clothes and TP’ed over the Heroes Square to support my friend. Once rezzed, all I can say is that I was really moved by what I saw.

We had gotten there late and apparently missed a speech made about Mikee, I would have liked to have heard that. What I did hear were people talking about what a great guy he was, how funny he was and how much they loved him. Black T-shirts were passed out saying, “Mikee Lives Forever” across the front and those who wanted, were encouraged to leave flowers, candles and notes in the center of Heroes Square to honor and remember Mikee. Although I didn’t know Mikee, I was moved by the outpouring by those who did and this got me to thinking about what a special place Second Life really can be.

For a lot of us, we bring much or our real selves into Second Life. This place becomes an extension of our First Life and the people we meet here become part of our life as a whole, regardless of which world we are in. Some people claim to want to keep their First Life totally separate from their Second Life, how does that work really? I guess if someone like Mikee had done that, then one day the people he called his friends would just not see him here anymore, no one would really know why or what events had transpired to shape (and now end) his first life. Such a sterile existence in Second Life seems - at the very least - little empty to me. None of your “friends” would truly know you at all, none of it would be real. I’m glad that didn’t appear to be the case with Mikee… inquires regarding his condition from the accident and the news of his passing circulated in the Ironworks group channel, people truly cared. Mikee’s second life was real.

I regret I didn’t know him.

If you did know Mikee and would like to leave something in Heroes Square in memorial, this is the SLURL

Heroes Square http://slurl.com/secondlife/Warehouse%20Plaza/110/69/22