To My U-Hall Friend and Brother sallie

[imported_CaesarDoP]

As many of you have read, Sallie and I were going to meet in Real Life. We planned to meet in the Pittsburgh PA area on Saturday 10-4. My Daughter has a Irish Dance competition and when I posted last year, Sallie PM’ed me and it turns out that the competition was only a few miles from his house. We had been planning the meeting for a year now.

Sallie shared with me some personal things, and I will try and share them with you here, as a form of a tribute to my U-Hall Brother. I will try and cut and paste some of the PM’s that he sent me, which will share with all of you what he had been going through over the last year.

Re: YEs It was at the EXPO Center in MOnroeville.

From: sallieReceived: 10/07/02 10:50 PM
wow...yes, please PM me next time ur in the area....I know upper st. clair ...i live in bridgeville/south fayette

health

From: sallieReceived: 10/18/02 10:35 AM
ceasar, please do add me to your prayer list.....I need all the prayers I can get..... I really don't know how to tell you this, but back in dec 2000, I was diagnosed with lukemia...i went through 8 months of chemo. Then just 2 months ago my bone marrow decided to go on a work slow down..and can't decide if it wants to bring the lukemia back or shutdown altogether. If it decides to shutdown all together it means I have aplastic anemia, If it decides to bring back the lukemia, then it means more chemo treatments..but for right now, I am using up blood cells faster than my body can produce them. So about every 2 weeks I have to go for blood transfusion...I am a born again christian (was raised catholic) and getting blood transfusions is very hard for me to accept....all my relatives up here have me on thier prayer list and I wouldn't mind at all if you added me to yours....my real name is Ron Shaffer, from Bridgeville, Pennsylvania Thank you, may God keep you and your family safe

prayers

From: sallieReceived: 10/29/02 09:24 AM
Ceaser, well, I had another blood transfusion yestarday. 2 more units. but the good news is, my white counts and platelets are comming up on thier own...that means my bone morrow is working again. We just don't know how good or how long it will last yet. Only time will tell..... I just want to thank you for all your prayers. I'm sure they helped a great deal.... especially with all the other ppl I have praying for me...once again my friend... "Thank You" and peace be with you

Re: Sallie

From: HekateReceived: 04/25/03 05:31 PM
Hi Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I just got a mail from Sallie.... He just got back from the hospital...and are, considering the circumstances, doing ok...

Re: Good to see your post

From: sallieReceived: 05/27/03 05:15 PM
Hi Dante, ya, things don't look to good. I was in the hospital in march for a week with that phnumonia thing, then went to Arizona to visit my daughter, I was still sick when I went. Then when I came back they put me back in the hospital for the whole month of April...- 3 days...thought for sure i was a goner.. but i made it...lost 50 pounds. I don't recomend it as a way of losing weight though...but I was able to afford 50#'s..i'm at good weight now .....202 pounds .... Thanks for all your prayers, i'm sure they helped...as they say...God works in the strangest ways..... Take cake care my friend, ron

i would love it!!!

From: sallieReceived: 06/02/03 09:35 AM
Dante, Yes, I would love to meet with you and your family. Please send more details as soon as you know them. I'll make sure i'm not in the hospital during that time. Looking forward to the meting. ron

sounds terrific!!!!

From: sallieReceived: 06/02/03 10:04 AM
Yes sir, we can just meet at the expo hall and visit for a while. That really sounds great!!! The little food court sounds like a great place or maybe even at the top of the stairs at a pre-determined time????

Sallie

From: HekateReceived: 09/24/03 12:43 AM
Hi Dante You have probably already seen my post on UHall regarding Sallie.

Yesterday I recieved a pm from "Sallie" saying:

From: sallie Received: 09/23/03 01:22 PM I am no longer here - 09/21/03

Ron told me earlier that he had instructed his sister to do this when the time came. He was in alot of pain these last years, hopefully he will now have his peace. Take care my friend /Martin


Sallie last posted to me a few weeks ago, when I told every one that I got the part in The Wizard of OZ. Here is his response to my post on 9-12-03
Re: Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!! [re: CaesarDoP]


CaesarDoP!!!!! time is approaching..... I will have a red polo shirt on and a black ball cap trimmed in grey with Hoyas on front and of course my UO pin on the hat left side i think... but I will be there Take care,,,, sallie of BAJA Lord Clyde of moonglow (Baja) Lord quade (baja) playing UO since August 7, 1997 (and still a NEWBIE)

I never answered him that day, I got side tracked at work, and knew that as the days got closer to 10-4, we would be PMing back and forth.

I was so looking forward to meeting My Friend and My Brother, I guess that the meeting will now just be postponed until we can meet in God’s House.

I know you are watching over us sallie, how do I know this, because I believe.

Peace be with You My Friend, My Brother, the window seat will never be the same. *Gives sallie One last Big Bear Hug and says Goodbye*

CaesarDoP

 

[Acadia]

<blockquote><hr>

Yesterday I recieved a pm from "Sallie" saying:

From: sallie Received: 09/23/03 01:22 PM I am no longer here - 09/21/03

Ron told me earlier that he had instructed his sister to do this when the time came. He was in alot of pain these last years, hopefully he will now have his peace. Take care my friend /Martin

<hr></blockquote>

*is speachless*

*crying*

I'm so sorry /php-bin/shared/images/icons/frown.gif

 

[Dor of Sonoma]

*hugs fiercely*

Can you possibly make it ingame on Friday eve? Lady Starr has requested a Sallie Memorial gathering at the YMCA in lieu of Storytelling, and I think it's a good idea. *points to post above on the Event Calendar*

It would mean alot to see you there. I am at loose ends now...seeking each other's company seems to be called for.

 

[Chinalilly]

*hugs Caesar*

*searches for words*

I don't really know what to say. I've seen sallie's posts today, and he always seemed like a friendly and eternally happy guy. I looked back through a few of his posts, and despite all that he was going through in the last year, he maintained that happy face for us here on the boards.

I'm glad that the 2 of you were able to forge such a close bond, and I'm sorry that time was not on your side so that the 2 of you could have met up in person. But not having met, doesn't diminish the friendship that you 2 had.

From the sounds of things, you both had a great love for one another, and admired and respected each other a great deal. Friendships like that are a rare find. Especially between people across the distances.

I'm very sorry for your loss, and my heartfelt prayers go out to you and to his family. I can't imagine being in a position such as the one his sister was in, to deliver the news of his passing /php-bin/shared/images/icons/frown.gif

I want to share something with you. I only share my poetry with close friends and family. But frankly right now I can't think of anyone else I want to share this with, except you and those that "knew" sallie.

Both of my parents died within 9 months of each other when I was 15/16 years old. I wrote this poem in memory of them both. I am not a religious person today, but it gave me the spiritual lift I needed back then in order to carry on without them in my physical life. I hope that to you can find some strength from it.

<blockquote><hr>

<center>The Lord Came Down

I awoke one morning, early to find;
that all my worries had left my mind.
I went to my window, to look at the morn,
and found that the earth had been reborn.

It looked like peace, as far as I could see,
then the Lord came down, and spoke to me.
"You have always tried to be faithful and true,"
"so now these things I share with you."

I opened my door, and went outside,
the creatures I saw, did not run and hide.
The sky was blue, and a gentle breeze:
ruffled the green grass, and the leaves on the trees.

The sun shone warmly down on me,
Then the Lord came down and "Lad" said he,
"You have always tried to be faithful and true,"
"so now these things I share with you."

Beautiful flowers grew all around,
and not one withered, had I found.
I saw fish swimming in clear water dams,
and in the fields were gentle lambs.

A feeling of happiness filled my head,
as the Lord came down, and this he said,
"You have always tried to be faithful and true,"
"so now these things I share with you."

I returned to my home, feeling so Sin free,
then the strangest of sights therein met me.
All my friends had gathered round, and sat crying,
for there on my bed, my body was lying.

Yes I realized, and now I did know,
why the Lord came down and spoke to me so.
"You have always tried to be faithful and true,"
"so now these things I share with you."</center>

<hr></blockquote>

Sallie, I hope that your cloud is as bright and sunny as that window you used to sit at and look through.

 

[Guest]

Although I never knew Sallie, I'm amazed at his faith in God and upbeat attitude during his trials. I only *thought* I had trials in my life to overcome; sallie's trials dwarfed mine, yet his faith never wavered.

God has many rooms in his house. I hope salle's room is a big, comfortable one.

 

[Grimswind]

This is really heart wrenching. I wonder if there is anyway that his family could know how much he meant to so many more people than he actually met face to face.

*sends a prayer*

 

[themagi]

Thank you for sharing that.
It reminds us all how precious a gift friendship can be.

 

[imported_CaesarDoP]

No My Friend, thank you for your kind words, and the Kind words form every one that has posted.

Peace be with all of You MY U-Hall Friends and Family

Caesar

 

[Tom_Builder]

I'm sorry for the lose of your friend, and fellow UO player.