It’s been a while since this has happened, I know, but I wanted to submit my memories of Henry. He’s been on my mind ever since I found out – I don’t think many days have gone by where I don’t think about him. I’ll never be able to cover all of the fond memories we have together but I do want to cover at least a few.
Henry and I met in the 2000’s – I could never remember which year. We went to the same forum for a video game we loved, Tales of Symphonia, and bonded on there. I went in around… 11 years old, I think, just seeking help on a boss, and ended up forging a friendship that I will never forget. From there we became fast friends, adding each other on MSN, along with a close friend that we knew by the name Kazu. We were quite the odd trio, but they were very fond memories that got me through a difficult childhood.
People on the forum thought we were so close that we were actually siblings in real life – we jokingly called each other ‘bro’ and ‘sis’ and people thought, just from the way we interacted, that it was true. I really thought of him as an older brother. He’s someone I would talk to almost every day.
At some point, me, Kazu, and Henry, started a roleplay; he made the world, the characters, and gave them to Kazu and I to play as. I read back on the stuff he gave me for my character and was drawn in by the fascinating world he had built for this little, fun, side project with two friends that we never even got that far in. That was the amazing creativity he always possessed. Someday, I want to be able to write the story he wanted us to tell, together.
We also played a video game together, through some online service he had to walk me through with his brilliance – Earthbound. We controlled two different characters and got through about half of the game, I think, until real life obligations swamped me and we had less time to play. That game became one I would only ever play through until the point we got to together, because I could so vividly recall our banter and conversations at each step.
Henry was a beautiful, brilliantly shining mind that I loved with all of my heart. I knew him for around 6 years but it felt like my entire life – from 11 to 17 years old, that essentially was the bulk of my life.
The devastation of losing him was hard to bear, and it still is, even though I am now 22. For a long time, it was hard to even hear his name, or look at the interests we shared.
But, now, I am living strongly and doing what I love. I carry Henry’s memory in my heart, and I always will. Thank you, Henry, for being the supportive figure I needed in my life, and for being my dear, dear friend. I will never ever forget you.
This is not the name you knew me by, but it is the one I go by now. I think you’d like it!
Lots of love,
Dia.
Dia’s Letter
