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gyoza time

Robbie Rotten is the number one villain

Stefan Karl Stefansson is the number one hero

Somehow, I knew. It was something insidious in the back of my mind, something I often found myself stubbornly pushing away.

And still I knew, one day, it would happen. It was not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’.

And yet I remember thinking of him only days ago, stubbornly hoping against all hope that he would somehow make it through this. Smiling as I recalled all the ways, big and small, that he was able to enrich so many of our lives. Reminiscing over the incredible experiences and lasting friendships I’ve had with you all, none of which could have ever been made possible without him. Something that began as a small community of childhood fans just grew and grew before our eyes, before anyone could really predict or expect it.

I, like a lot of us, have not been here from the beginning. But something about this little community, banding together to support him in whatever way we could, was truly special.

It felt like coming home.

We offered our support through the brightest times, the darkest times, and all the moments in between. Now, we will do it again.

Stefán Karl Stefánsson will only cease to exist the day we stop remembering him. And I truly do hope that such a day will never come. There is still so, so much love and life in what he left behind, something that even the extent of such a tragedy cannot touch, and will never touch as long as we don’t let it.

And now, we must come to terms with his passing. Many of us will grieve. It is natural, it is alright to be upset over his passing. God knows I’m completely devastated. Grieve in whatever way you feel comfortable with, but please PLEASE be respectful during this time. Give yourself however long you need to mourn, and most importantly, celebrate his profoundly inspiring life for all its ups and downs. Rejoice that his time on this Earth, while not nearly as long as it should have been, was a fulfilling one. 

We all know that the last thing he would want for us is to be sad over his death to the point where we are unable to enjoy all the amazing, positive things he did for us. Stefan himself said; “Death is such an incredibly insignificant thing, completely irrelevant, while life is so interesting and magnificent.” And isn’t that such a beautiful way of thinking about it? Let’s make sure we don’t put such good advice to waste, and do as much as we possibly can to cherish his life and achievements.

Finally, I just want to make something clear:

Stefán was so much more than a meme. 

I implore you all, please, to be aware and respectful of this. He was a human being, with a steadfast and loving family, who have suffered alongside him more than what any of us ever did. The pain they must be experiencing right now is unimaginable. My heart goes out to them, and all who were lucky enough to know and love him. One of my greatest regrets is that I never got the chance to meet him personally, never got to speak to him, and yet my heart is warmed by the frequency at which he was so willing to reach out to fans from all over the world. Let this be the man we remember  -  Stefán in his entirety -  and let’s come together one last time to give him all our love and admiration. Smile, laugh, talk to each other, be kind, because as the man himself said:

“Life is now.” 

(x)