Jad
Jad was Greg's best friend throughout High School.
Friendship
Greg says that Jad was one of his only friends throughout High School. Greg and Jad created the website Gamer's Shadow together in 2002 to review video games. Later, this site was replaced by Extreme Gaming Headquarters, another video game review site. Shortly after its launch in 2003, Greg states Jad left the site to go to Japan for missionary work.
Death
In 2007, Greg found out Jad had passed away in the beginning of that year. He wrote about it in his 2007 Journal:
Jad [...] Died in February
A very good friend (one of my only) of mine died in February... I didn't find out till yesterday as I came across his number by accident having thought prior that I lost it.
I believe he was only 22 when he died...
The reason for his death, from what I recall, was due to his white blood cells not doing their job.
Jad was one of my good friends because of his integrity... he refused to do things that even I let slide... and I consider myself to be pretty morally-driven ---
He was a missionary in Japan for a while after High School, really believed in God, and in the way he was supposed to believe, not the way most follow the easy path when it comes to ethics and morals under Christianity...
I want to dedicate something to Jad... I imagine I'll make a song soon, and name it after him... hopefully it will be worth his name ---
I didn't cry when I found out he died... I've never cried because of anyone I know dying... but this time I really felt something I had never experienced before... somewhat of a temporary loss in purpose of my own... thinking, if Jad, the good person he was, with so much potential and promise... died so soon... what does anything matter? What is fate and meaning?
[sighs] Fortunately I've made quite a few videos... I'm glad I can at least leave music and imagery behind...
I actually have some good audio bits of Jad and I goofing off back in high school... he was the only person other than my wife who actually made silly bits with...
[sighs deeply] I miss you now, and will miss you in the future Jad... I'm so very sorry for your family losing what a light you are... and I am truly remorseful that I was not a better friend to you than I was.
Posted by Gregory J. Daniel in Life at 06:18 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)Stones To Abbigale
After releasing his first novel, Stones To Abbigale, Greg revealed he based the book on a lot of his High School experiences. He says James', whom he based on himself, relationship with Davis is similar to he and his friend from High School's because he was his only friend. ((Spoilers)) He compares Davis' death to his friend's death after High School. (Source) It is very likely he is talking about Jad. ((End Spoilers))
