I just got the news that my friend passed away. In the process of grieving I realized that not everyone knows how this man impacted my life, and if not for him and others my life would have turned out differently. Terry was one of my personal heroes and this is how it happened.
I met Terry at Job Corps shortly after I had been exiled from my home state of Montana back in 2000. The why of how that happened isn't important, but it does illustrate how I was spiraling downward in my life at the time. I didn't have many friends and I didn't believe I was going to live to see my 30s.
At the time I accepted this, and was just looking for the next easy score and party. I didn't invest myself in people except for how much I could get from them. I was the person your parents warned you about in short. I guess I just loved being the bad guy back then.My boyfriend at the time told me he was going to play a game with some people and invited me along. I sat down and watched my first world of darkness role-playing session over the next couple of hours. I was hooked and asked if I could join. I could tell some of the the group was hesitant, but Terry said yes and I started learning what friends really were.
Gaming gave me a healthy outlet for my more anti-social tendencies, and the escapism provided by it allowed me to forget the pain of my life. I was able to relax around these people in a way I wouldn't have dared previously. Terry was a big part of that.
When I decided I wanted to try running a game, Terry was one of the guys whose advice I sought. I have played under many storytellers, but Terry had a gift for stories that pulled you into the world quickly. He was also quick to adapt to obnoxious activity by players (such as a naga calling a garou a Bastet for those who were there). This would have been enough to make Terry stand out and give me reason to grieve, but there's more.
A few years after we had all left job corps I hit another low in my life as a meth addict. I hadn't been in contact with my friends from job corps and was pursuing a new life of crime. As the DEA was sweeping through and making arrests I knew it was a just a matter of time before I was going to get caught, but I couldn't see an out for myself.
Out of the blue I got a phone call from some of my job corps friends who were helping Terry move from Billings to Denver. They wanted to see what was up with me. Had it been anyone else I would have probably lied, but these were my safe friends and I told them. Terry and the rest insisted that I go with them to Denver. I stayed long enough to collect the money I was owed, clean up my place, and left my life of intentional crime behind. Two days later the DEA raided where I had been living.
If not for Terry and others I wouldn't have learned that the word friend could mean more than asset. I would have gone to jail and likely still be a criminal. I would never have become a storyteller, aspiring writer and amateur game designer. I wouldn't be who I am today.
Terry was a great friend to many people, but he helped save me twice in some of my lowest times. I regret never taking the time to tell him that, but I can tell all of you. Terry Williams is one of my personal heroes, and he is missed.
