Thank You, Ryan Davis

Despite not knowing him on a personal level, Ryan Davis meant a lot to me.

I had the pleasure of seeing Ryan at PAX East 2011, 2012, and 2013, and I had the opportunity to meet and chat with him a couple times. The thing he seemed to care most about was being an awesome guy who entertained the hell out of people. And goddamn did he do that every day of the week. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Giant Bomb and its community exist in this odd, self-referential bubble. But Ryan’s lovable charm and appreciation for crazy stretched beyond that. He was an inspiration and he felt like a friend to everyone who loved him and his personality. He influenced my sense of humor, how I write, and how I think about games, movies, and all things New Balance. His observations about the world around him were honest and endearing, and he really knew how to put on a show and connect with the community, his powerful guffaw and love for games bringing us together from all parts of the globe.

Sometime during the afternoon of July 3, 2013, Ryan sent a tweet to me that said, “fuckin’ AGONY.” He had tweeted about the annoyance of waiting for packages to arrive “when you KNOW that motherfucker is IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD,” and I had mentioned to him that I was waiting for three separate packages, each of which needed to be signed for. I remember looking down at my phone and laughing at his response. I appreciated how someone I deeply respected understood the monotony of what I was doing.

So thanks, Ryan, for bringing that little bit of joy to my crappy day, and for all of the joy you’ve brought to all of us every day. You made our lives better in ways that few can. Thank you so much.

Oh, and if I see you on the other side we need to get a photo together!