The funniest man I've ever known

No words will ever do him justice, so I won't try. I was never really good with them anyway. Everything's already been said about him, but even so, it's not nearly enough. I have never met anyone like Phil, nor do I think I ever will. His unique sense of humour, his non-sensical remarks, his insatiable thirst for sports, his genuine heart, his humility, his smile. All these things and more have come pouring back into my mind over these past few days. I knew him for nearly 13 years. He was one of my best friends, but as I'm most of us won't hesitate to say, he was my brother.

Phil once went to our semestered English class after a good game of football at lunch, as always. About half way into the lesson, he got up and asked to get a drink. He came back 10 minutes later again drenched in sweat and holding slushi from the gas station down the street, all the while proceeding as if he had done nothing wrong.

Phil once came late to our calculus class in the morning. Our teacher gave him two options. Our teach, Mr. Mo, said, "Phil, you can either go down and get a late slip, or I can check your homework." To which he simply replied, "...I'll take the zero."

Every game of football, hockey, soccer, every time we play cards, every bagel, we'll be thinking of you. There are a thousand other stories and a thousand times more memories. I wish you were still here to share them.

June 2002