You know how sometimes you look back on your life, where you've come from, what made you the person you are, and if you're really lucky, you can point to a few amazing people who were utterly instrumental in shaping you?

For me, kimba was one of those people. An energetic bundle of fluff who I crossed paths with at exactly the moment in my life when I was desperately trying to make sense of what kind of person I wanted to be, he was literally everything I'd hoped I would one day become. Kind, caring, giving, successful and 100% himself at all times, the world be damned if they didn't like it. He showed me just how optional the concept of growing up was, took me to my very first furry con, and set in my mind what it was that a good, giving person looked like.

Even when I was working a shitty low paid job I spent every day of holiday and spare penny I had for a few years going over to visit him in the Netherlands. He threw the best parties I've ever been to, introduced me to other life-long friends and going to visit him and his partner at the time always felt like coming home. He moved to Canada eventually, and we lost touch for a while, though in the last few years we'd started chatting again, making plans for when our inevitable reunion would finally happen, shooting the breeze about everything and nothing.

Kimba Amey passed away suddenly on Sunday 18th February. The world is an immeasurably darker place without him in it. I will always, always remember him, and I will do my best to carry all of those gifts he handed me with me throughout the rest of my time on this earth. I hope more than anything that he knew how much he meant to me, even if we never got round to saying those words.

Sleep tight, little lioncub. You are so very deeply missed.