Thud was the classic big guy, bigger heart character. He was a large guy whom he sometimes tried to use to his advantage, but for those who knew him this was a joke, as Thud was one of the nicest, well meaning and trusting fellows you could ever meet.

Thud was also very good at cartoon style artwork, mostly self taught. He made many flyers for different shows, and created hundreds of shirts for himself and his friends. He did many back patches, including my own. Thud even made me the tattoo on my ankle. He even was asked to do some artwork for a local tattoo artist "Wild Bill". It would be nice to think that there are still Thud artwork tattoos out there to be had. I know he had also done a tattoo for Birdman and has probably done others. He had a good attention to detail and could capture the essence of what he was trying to convey in his art, which is the most important factor.

Thud got his name because, being a big guy, he could take any punch thrown, or so he bragged, and this led to the name "Thud". He was also my neighbor for awhile when I lived on Comstock Court for awhile. Thud would get a ride to school from me everyday so he wouldn't be stuck on the bus. These were some good times. At lunch, Thud was famous for being able to "orchestrate" events. He could gather a group of people together and make sure something was done that lunch period!

I remember a party a Travis's house next door to Dimebag's, where Thud had gotten so intoxicated he was sitting alone outback in a lawn chair. A few times I passed him and each time he would stop throwing up to say hi, it was hilarious, "ughhrugh Hi Buef wahhhrughh". Perhaps it was my state of mind, but I can never think about that without laughing. I also remember when he met Melinda at a kegger at the old Sunrise Drive-In. You would have never known a long romance and a kid will come out of a first meeting that involved Thud basically holding Melinda's hair for her all night while she threw up.

Probably the greatest show of friendship Thud ever showed toward me was during my bachelor party. He intensely wanted to, and had good reason to, beat up Shane the lead singer of IGD at the time. I asked Thud not to, out of respect to me and my party, and he didn't. As he got drunker and drunker, I know it was hard for him, and spoke to him a few times in regards to how hard it was. To his immense credit, he didn't do anything. I think he knew how much I appreciated this as it meant far more to me than any of the artwork or any of the other millions of favors he did for me.

Thud was young to pass away, and I always figured I would be the first to, but Thud beat us all to it. This might not be too much of a surprise for those of us who remember how he could throw up blood on command, he has always had problems, but I must say, his passing still came as a big surprise.

Thud was truly a great guy. He would do anything for his friends, and had a heart as big as anyone. He was a really intelligent guy who made himself a legend in Rocklin for his generation. Sure, ask any of the kids in Rocklin today who Thud is and you will only get blank stares. If you were to take a step back in time 15 years and ask, you would certainly get a different answer. Everyone would know who Thud was, they would tell you of the big guy who can draw awesome skeletons and knows how to party. Yes, Thud had very few enemies and tons of loving friends. He will be missed greatly.