/e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant

[Atlantea]

My heart aches all the more. At least for now. Because I am struck hard between the eyes by a comparison that only comes with the kind of clarity that you literally wake up with.

VV told us last night the details of Tre's death as described above. Around a little after midnight after some mutual comfort with friends, (which, perhaps, amusingly enough, consisted of doing quests in another game and mutual geeking out, joking, and incessant punning where we helped each other laugh. - just as Ascendant would've liked, I imagine) I went to bed.

A little before 5AM I woke up, and the comparison hit me. And it is this:

Tre Chipman's passing reminds me of Jim Henson's.

Both had hearts and creativity as big as the world. And both cared so much about their friends and loved ones over and above themselves that they kept the extent of an illness from them until it was too late to do anything about it.

Is it possible to have a heart so big and so caring that that in itself can destroy you? If it is, then perhaps both Jim and Tre are examples of that.

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.

- Ernest Hemingway

[Perfidus]

I don't mean to make light of the causes of Tre's death, but one of my characters on Virtue almost died the same way. She successfully hid her issues even as her liver and kidneys failed. She just so happened in a world of superpowers, so she lived.

I just wish I could know why he chose to hide that illness. And especially, why he would hide it until it was too late, and it cost him his life. The reason I even bring up my character, is the fact this character was an alcoholic. Was Tre an alcoholic? Why else would he have hidden his illness until it was too late?

Again, please don't take this as me making light of a man's death or comparing a human life to an RP life. I guess I'm just trying to make sense of things. Tre was so young. I just don't get it why he'd leave us. I just... want things to make sense.

But I guess life doesn't always make sense and the good ones are often taken all too soon.

[Baseload]

I saw this news on my old SG friend's forums and I tried scouring the internet looking to confirm this.  A shame I did finding this.

I'll admit I never met the man, in game or out.  But I still feel like he was as much a part of CoH as any of the main characters were.  He will be missed.

If folks do not mind, i borrowed Leandro's picture and posted it on the City of Heroes Remembered Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/CityOfHeroesRemembered?fref=ts

[Wulfen]

  Regardless of everything else, there is no doubt that Tre was one of the kindest, most compassionate, and caring individuals I have ever met in this game.  He also had a knack and a gift for comedic writing that was at a professional level.

So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.

very cool

[Sailboat]

Dammit.  If any of us deserved to get the chance to stand in Phoenix City, he was one.

After seeing this thread, I re-read the Virtuverse page.  Man, that's good stuff.  I noticed the description of Ascendant's personality seemed to match what some have posted in this thread:

He was shy, sweet, funny, and always seemed a little baffled by the encouraging attention he got. He was a real person on the other end of a keyboard who really touched me.

Personality

Eric tends to be shy and unassuming, but quick with a joke once he's been coaxed out of his shell or around friends. He often pretends to be world-weary and descends into gallows humor, but in truth, he's genuinely optimistic and truly believes that people are basically good.

As Ascendant, he's more self confident, but still suffers from shyness, especially around very attractive women. He's uncomfortable with his status as a celebrity, and tends to be surprisingly down-to-earth when approached in person.

[dwturducken]

In looking through the thread on the Virtue Facebook page, possibly where it was originally announced, one of the members mentioned him asking her out IRL, and it was such a sweet story, talking about how shy he was. It really struck a cord, for some reason, and I'm one of those Midwestern stoic Lutheran types.

Thanks for the insight, VV. It's good to see you back. Over the past couple of months, I've been standing either in a book store or library with Invasion in my hand, at least half a dozen times, and I keep putting it back because I don't have time for personal reading, right now. Looks like I'd better make time. I want to be up to speed for the 4th book.

[TonyV]

I've updated the original post with the details about his memorial service.  It is going to be held on Thursday, June 27, in Pensacola, Florida.  I really want to go, and almost any other time I'd be able to, but it's kind of a weird time at work.  Two of our night shift crew in Manila left our team a week ago, so my coworker and I are having to fill in extra shifts until they hire two more people.  As a result, we're stretched really thin and have times when we can't be out because it would leave a big gap in coverage. 

We are going to be represented, however.  There's a Facebook post in the Virtue Server group of people who are planning on meeting up down there.  Right now, there are two folks, but the more the merrier.  If you're in the area, or you just want to get away from whatever area you are in for a few days of vacation (the church is literally around 15 minutes from the Gulf Coast, one of the best beaches in the country), by all means please go.  I'd love for his family and friends to know how much he meant to our community, that through this goofy hobby of his, he really did make a difference to people.

Thanks a ton for the story VV, it just goes to show you how a lot of times, all of those little things aren't so little, and how although Tre is gone, he'll never be forgotten.  As a quick P.S., it's really great to see you posting again, even if it's not under the best of circumstances.  We're still thinking about you.

[Morvani]

I just wish I could know why he chose to hide that illness. And especially, why he would hide it until it was too late, and it cost him his life. The reason I even bring up my character, is the fact this character was an alcoholic. Was Tre an alcoholic? Why else would he have hidden his illness until it was too late?

Speaking from personal experience, it is -very very disturbingly- easy to do this kind of thing, even without an addiction as a motivation. It's even possible to do this without realizing you are doing it.

I have no words for this. A terrible, terrible loss.

[TonyV]

...resulting from an undiagnosed problem that he successfully hid from everyone, including his doctors.

I think you are misreading VV's post.  What she's saying is that no one knew about his illness until it suddenly hit in June.  He wasn't literally hiding it from anyone, especially his doctors, or he would have undoubtedly sought treatment much earlier.  It's just one of those crazy things that, in hindsight, turns tragic.

[Pheonyx]

I wanted to share a little something. During my shows in City, in honor of those we have lost past, present and unfortunately future, I and the audience would do the /e holdtorch emote during my show ending. I always took a screenshot of that, every week. I went through my screenshots folder and saw this one:



You can see who is there.

It just hurts so much that he has to now be the one we pay reverence to at the end of this week's show, which I have decided to make a show dedicated to him in that all the music would be upbeat and stuff that Ascendant would have done /e dance6 or the Monkey Dance (which when on Ascendant, he would call the "Spazz Dance") while hearing.

Ashes to ashes,
Pheonyx
aka DJ Pheonyx of The Cape Radio

[Captain Electric]

[Derdriu]

I remain in shock and denial about this horrible news.

I will have to dig around to find some pictures as I'm be willing to put my own embarrassment on display to illustrate how wonderful this man was.

Like many, I had heard much about Ascendant through the Cape Radio, but didn't have a chance to run into him in game. Then I attended my first Meet & Greet with my Cape Radio friends in Chicago and that was when I met Ascendant at Alice's Bar on karaoke night.

He was quiet and unassuming, but what caught me was his smile, bright eyes and an adorable laugh. He was very humble, especially in contrast with my crazy antics. Well, way led onto way and he was stuck with the attentions of not just myself, but a few other ladies who will remain nameless. (You know who you are! lol) We ended up at the pancake house after a night of drinking and singing (and leaving red lipstick marks all over him), I fell asleep on his shoulder. DJ Wyld told me later that he didn't eat his toast because he didn't want to get crumbs in my hair.

A perfect gentleman, quick witted and with a gorgeous smile, he was the quintessential hero to my character's (Derdriu) chaotic villain. Teamed up with Wisecracker, we had a great rivalry brewing on top of what he already had going with Wisecracker. And when we didn't get to RP, we did chat via tell, checking up on each other, having a few laughs - things friends do.

It's with much regret that I fell behind in keeping in touch with him when CoH ended. I'm getting teary here at work writing this. lol I will truly miss Tre and am glad to have fond memories in-game and out-of-game to hold onto.

It is always amazing to me the bonds we make through the mutual love of something. It's times like these when the internet shines in bringing people across the globe together. It's sad that through a mournful event, we are all finding ourselves comforting each other, as the last time we felt this way was CoH's sunset hour, but it also is a testament to how lovely Tre IS. I think he would be humbly embarrassed at the emotions here, but that's was only part of what made him lovable.

My friend, I'll see you again one day and I'll be bringing the red lipstick.

[Kriiden]

I was a virtueite, and I didn't know him personally...but I believe I ran into him once or twice. Nice guy. A huge loss for the entire community.

Rest in peace.

[BobMc]

A very sad loss ...

[JKPhage]

So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.

How can you say it's not much? This is a beautiful tribute, and sentiment, and it will mean so much to those of us who had the honor of sharing the city with him. I'll definitely be buying these books and urging all of my friends to as well, and explaining to them just exactly why it's so important to me that they do. Ascendant was an amazing part of our community, and now he'll live on forever thanks to you. That is SO much, and if it's even possible, Mrs. Lackey, I have even more respect for you now than I ever have before.

[Johnny Joy Bringer]

Ascendant was the humble humanity in an inhuman world. So was Tre Chipman.

I never really played on the Virtue server, the home to Ascendant. I had a one serious character there, which I had neglected years before. A week before the Unity Rally I created a character there, Save City of Heroes. I vowed to keep that character at the steps with torch in hand 24x7 until the game closed or save, except to of the occasional mission to take the character to 50th lvl, for luck. I also allowed the kids to use my account, from time to time. Other than that I had a dedicated computer in my office on my desk, a comforting windows into Paragon city with the birds chirping away, and the soft sound of NPC footsteps, broken only by the occasional power sound effect. Ascendant and I chatted now and again. He, and everyone else, made the vigil on the steps something special. He always had a kind word, and apologized for not being able to have a character on the steps full time.

We teamed a few times, and then chatted again on the finally day, and exchanged email addresses.

Beyond that I did not know him. But he was something special. Because he created a human hero. All the primary heroes of the game were the kind that grit their teeth and faced death, etc. All that super drama and other such stuff. He had a character who had to face LIFE! And he made it seem like a battle. He character a character WITH character, and mainly because(if you talked to him), Tre was a character. He was the organic hero of the game. He was the star of the game. Sure, a dev can create a iconic character, and they are great, but Tre created an iconic character of the game, not for the game. That's about as common as being struck by lightening while winning every lottery in the world at the same time.

Ascendant was not some god which walked among man, he was a man who could walk among the god and remain a man, very much a reflection of Tre I would imagine.

Hardly knew him, I guess. I was looking forward to seeing him back in the game one day. I hope he will be with us in spirit when we do get back. And I hope we can see a statue of him on the phone.

[pogoman]

VV, that is awesome what you are doing. I am still in total shock over this. I met him a few times throughout my years of playing and after the announcement we got to play a lot more together. 
I have always pictured CoH coming back and seeing Ascendant there to help welcome people back...And now .
I said this on my fb page:
 RIP TRE CHIPMAN, aka ASCENDANT from City of Heroes. You were taken from us way before your time. We will always look to the skies above, for in our hearts you shall eternally fly high above the City of Tomorrow keeping us safe. A torchlight shall forever be kept lit in your memory. God must have needed a superhero, because he took the very best of us to be with him. /e holdtorch.

On tonight's Save CoH Radio I will be doing a memorial service for him.

[DrakeGrimm]

...I got nothin'. This is a complete sucker punch for me and I've been running through my normal grieving cycle of pain, anger, depression, more pain, repeat.

[Rocket-Cat]

I'm so sorry that we've lost Tre in this way.  He was creative and naturally funny and I think we're all at a loss now with his passing. 
I hope that we can keep the spirit of his humor alive in our hearts and memories.
I really loved Ascendant's one-sided telephone conversations.  In a game where finding groups to roleplay with sometimes was rough, the setup of a phone conversation is just being creative and entertaining.  He made it fun for the listeners and added to the breadth of a living, breathing world of heroes.  It made me think of the game world beyond the city and the graphics.  He added content just by taking the time to entertain us with his scenes, his demos, and his writing.

There's a person behind every character that steps up to roleplay a scene, to tell a story, or to perform for our entertainment.  As we remember Ascendant, we should also think of those players that take the time to make us smile.

[Perfidus]

There's a person behind every character that steps up to roleplay a scene, to tell a story, or to perform for our entertainment.  As we remember Ascendant, we should also think of those players that take the time to make us smile.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Also, good to see you again Dagger. We rp'd some back before, glad to know you're still with us.