An ending, an interlude

A year ago today on July 3, 2020, Tom Riley — friend, father, husband, brother, son, cousin — was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And on June 5, 2021, Tom Riley — guitarist, writer, poet, podcaster, cancer advocate, observer of humanity, orator, beloved — passed away. He was 54. 

In a time like this, words can feel thin, not enough somehow. So instead of a lot of words, this episode contains just a few in the way of a short poem.  

There are still more episodes to come — Tom had recorded multiple interviews with friends and family and it was his intention to see those released, even after he was gone. We’ll also experiment with new conversations and insights. 

It’s in the spirit of Tom to keep trying, keep experimenting. Keep playing. Keep doing the thing.

When we first started this podcast, Tom sent me this message:

“My only goal is to share my story and perspective, and to capture other people’s stories in a way that could be helpful to others. That’s my motivation.

This is my third act. I want it to be meaningful. And I want it to be fun.”

It was Tom, it was. And it will be. Thank you. Thank you…so much. And remember, I love you.