RIP Dusty

One of my dear friends passed away on Saturday after battling cancer for the past 5 years. We were friends since I was in high school, lost touch for about 10 years then reconnected a little over a year ago.  It was like no time had passed. During that time I had the chance to visit him in NYC where he was living.  (Who in their right mind moves to NYC when they are sick?!) That just shows what a fighter he was. I spent a week with him at NIH in DC for his chemo treatments, and to celebrate his one year immune system transplant. We met up a few times in L.A. and Dallas too. We always texted and emailed, and I kept up our old tradition of letter writing; Something I have recently gotten out of the habit of doing, but was glad to pick it up again. I let him know early on I was thankful for his presence in my life again. The past five years had brought me a different kind of hardship in the form of depression and burn out. Seeing him was like seeing the opposite of myself; He was dying on the outside but alive on the inside while I felt I was alive on the outside but dying on the inside. I needed this so desperately, this terrible, beautiful visual to remind me that life is worth living. Till the end he fought hard. The last time I heard from him was two weeks ago. I knew from update emails he wasn't doing well, so his text shocked me. I was at work and instantly burst into tears. He just said, "Are you still in Cali? I miss you." I honestly never thought I would hear from him again, but even so I had been texting and calling him every few days just to let him know I was thinking and praying for him. I rushed outside to call him. I left him a message saying, "I am so proud of you Justin. What I love about you is that you are such a strong, fighting spirit, and the beautiful thing is that that is what will live forever. You are such an inspiration to me and a dear friend. I am so thankful for you in my life. I love and miss you. Good-bye." And now bravely yet reluctantly he has moved on before us. We will all be with him before we know it, time goes so fast. But in the mean time I will take the time I have left to live on the inside too. Thank you Justin Sullivan, for who you were here on this earth; for driving me crazy, for making me laugh, for being creative, for singing me rap songs, and for always being you. You will be greatly missed.