A Makeshift Memorial...

RIP Andy Walters

( Expect updates and edits throughout the week...)

Andy Walters, 26, died yesterday in his sleep.
I take solace in that at least it must have been somewhat peaceful.

I don't know a lot, but what I do know for sure is that the world is now short one of the happiest, nicest, coolest people there ever was--and I didn't even know him that well.

What I also know from hanging out with him quite a bit these past 6 months or so, is this:

Andy worked at Gebben Video in Alton, where he seemed to really love his job.
Everytime I mentioned a wedding or an event I'd planned on attending, he would chime in "do they need a videographer?"

H also still hosted a local music show on WLCA 89.9, which I never got to listen because it was on Monday nights when I'd always work late. It was a crossover from when he and Justin attended LCCC years ago and worked at the station together. I guess he never lost his love for it.

Andy loved music more than a lot of things, and got to enjoy it to the fullest in the hot Tennessee sun this summer at Bonnaroo with David and Justin. He was excited about going back next year too.
I was trying to get him to give me a list of artists to check out, which he tried to do, but the chicken scratch I jotted down when I was drunk was never legible the next day.
We were supposed to make plans to catch the Dave Matthews Band the next time they came through St. Louis though.

Andy was known for being "that guy with the serve" on our volleyball team, "Oops, I Wapped My Pants," which is sponsored by Norb's. His underhand serve would send the volleyball 50 feet in the air before it would come down on the opponent's side--and it was nearly impossible to hit. "Send it to the moon!" we'd shout at him when it was his turn to serve. The opponent always had a look of worry in their eyes, and rightfully so. We scored many-a-point with him at the helm. I say we dedicate this season to his memory and win it all, the way he would have liked it.

Our volleyball game was dedicated to him Thursday, the day after he died. See http://onetoomanyblogs.blogspot.com/2007/08/heres-to-you-andy.html

He seemed to be pretty active most of the time--I specifically remember him chugging a bottle of water before a game one day. "Maybe I shouldn't have taken that 400-mile bike ride this afternoon," he said. (Ok, so I exxaggerated on the 400 mile thing, but you get the point.) He never would have missed one game for the world.

He wasn't one for missing the celebration at Norb's Tavern afterward either. He always had a smile on his face and was always ready to have fun.

For his most recent birthday, he wanted to go to Buffalo Wild Wings but was disappointed when Justin, Ben and David had already fired up the grill at their apartment. I'm glad now that we got to make it up to him when we took him there several days later, and he seemed to have a good time.

I think Andy must have been happy before he died. I've not known him long but in the time that I have, I haven't known him to not be. And I hope he's in a better place, which I think he is, but he sure did leave behind family and an infinite list of friends who care dearly about him.

The visitation will be this Sunday at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Alton from 4-8 p.m. and the funeral will be Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.

The information I have is what I'm hearing from the people who knew him well, from various messages and phone calls and from my memory of him. I hear it may have been related to his heart troubles, for which he had many-a-benefit years ago. (Again, I have few details about that, but I always remembered hearing about them because his brother Marc was in my grade in school.)
Everyone I know whose known him has been on the phone all day trying to get more information, and although some has been posted on MySpace, I've been blocked out of the site all day "due to technical errors."

If you have any memories of Andy, please post them in the comments section.