I stumbled into FlyerTalk nearly 10 years ago and was astounded at the intelligence, humor and real caring that existed in that tiny group of cyber friends. I fell in love with them and FlyerTalk almost instantly and that love has never waivered over the years.

Way back in the very beginning, I can remember wondering what would happen if one of us passed away. At that time, we only knew one another in cyberspace and had no real-life connection with one another or our families.

Then the miracle of meeting one another in real life began and we became real friends, in real life, and a real community.

Since then I have lost four very dear FlyerTalk friends. johna, who gave me my very first upgrade certificate when I switched to UA in 1999, became very ill during a FlyerTalk party in Montreal and, when he returned home to SFO, directed a friend to advise us of his passing. Raeban who was an active poster, was also the wife of a then active original member. She actually died during a huge FlyerTalk event, wearing her (PIP) Party in Paradise T-shirt as she passed into her final paradise. Nathan Detroit had been ill for some time and when he stopped posting, I became very worried and called his wife who advised that he had died two days earlier.

The last of my good friends to pass was bernie, the incomparable host of the DUS Dos. He had no partner, or family that we know of, to advise of his passing. Several FlyerTalkers had tried to e-mail and/or call him with no results so we suspected that perhaps he had died. This was finally confirmed by FLYGVA who actually went to bernie's old flat and to his favorite cafe to inquire. Next week, Hunki and I will fly to DUS and will toast a drink in bernie's memory at his beloved Cafe Bernstein. We will share the thoughts and memories of the Cafe Bernstein staff when we return.

I did not know Bart Watson, but, knew several FlyerTalkers who counted him as a friend, and grieved when I read his very sad story.

RIP, to my beloved FlyerTalk friends, and to those deceased FlyerTalkers whom I never met during their journeys around this sphere.