In everyone's life, people come and people go. I'm still close with many of my childhood friends, and staying in touch with them is just a way of life. They don't care how much money I have or don't have, what I do or don't do, they just treat me the same way they always have. Whenever I see them, we pick up where we left off, almost as if I saw them the day before. Still little boys just trying to have some fun. I'm lucky to have friends like that.
I met a man who came into my life because of work, but it didn't take me long to realize that he was going to be a friend, not just an acquaintance who breezes in and out of my life. This guy was going to stick around. I had no idea how true that would become.
I met Stuart Keene at 8am on June 25, 2010. Tragically, seven hours later, he was gone.
It’s taken me a little over two months to write anything about him publicly, and even now, I’m not sure I can explain the profound effect this man has had on my life. I barely knew Stuart, and despite all the sadness, I can’t help but smile every time I think of him. It’s good to know that I’ll smile at least once every day for the rest of my life.
I was preparing to make a trip to Denver for a motorcycle race that I was directing, and saw Stu’s name on the crew list as a local camera operator. I’d never heard of him before, so I made a call to one of my good friends, Jeff Kelty, to see if he knew who he was. He not only knew Stu, but was very good friends with him as well. Jeff assured me that Stu was a pro, and I wouldn’t be disappointed with his camera abilities. For better or worse, I always trust Jeff’s judgement, so I was looking forward to meeting Stu, especially since I knew we had a mutual friend in common.
When we met, Stu was more than happy to pile on and trash our mutual friend in his absence. I won’t go into detail, but we were ruthless. Jeff Kelty was our bond, and we took advantage of that to grow our new friendship. Poor Jeff was an easy target, and we ripped him to shreds every chance we got. It turned into a fun game, but we both liked and respected him a great deal, and nothing was said that either of us wouldn’t say to his face. By lunch time, I was a bit pissed that I never met Stu before, and we began making plans for the three of us to maybe go skiing next winter.
I was able to spend about an hour alone with him, walking around the track, looking at various camera positions, and told him he could have his pick of what camera he wanted to run during the show. He also filled me in on his career, which was stellar, to say the least. I was envious of all the great shoots he had worked on, which had taken him all over the world. I admired his positive attitude, and since he was a few years older than me, he gave me a bit of hope for the future of my career. I told him of my current frustrations with my job prospects, and he reminded me of some basic principles to keep in mind, not only for my career, but for my life as well.
I’ll never understand why things happen the way they do. That isn’t up to me. Nobody can control what happens no matter how hard they try. Like the old adage, “If if’s and but’s were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day.” You can drive yourself mad thinking about it.
I used to fear death. The “great unknown’’ that all of us will experience, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. One minute we’re here, the next we’re not. In the career I’ve chosen, I’ve seen way too many people die. Not like a doctor or nurse, in a hospital, under controlled circumstances, but unexpectedly and tragically. Sometimes horribly, right out of a nightmare. The biggest lesson Stuart Keene taught me, was to not fear death. Stu knew what was happening to him, and he faced it head on, with courage, and not an ounce of fear, as if he was beginning his next great adventure.
Stu’s death at the young age of 57 was extremely tragic, and for me, it has made me re-evaluate my faith, my beliefs and the way I’ll live my life. While I will continue to struggle with those issues daily until the end of my life, I know without a doubt, that death on earth isn’t the end. I’m certain, at the very least, we will live on spiritually. I know it in my heart. That’s what Stuart Keene taught me.
I’ve been overwhelmed by how many friends Stu had. He was a very special person, who loved life, and lived it to it’s fullest. I’ve enjoyed reading what his friends have said about him on facebook. Obviously, Stu was loved by everyone who knew him. I feel cheated that I didn’t get to be one of his good friends, but maybe that’s how it was supposed to be. His impact on my life is forever.
Not long after Stu’s passing, while I was still at the track, there was a beautiful rainbow which seemed to end at the spot where Stu left this earth. Everybody knows what’s at the end of a rainbow, and Stuart Keene was definitely a pot of gold.
Someday, I will see Stu again, and I'm sure we'll pick up where we left off, just like I do now with my childhood buddies. Godspeed, my friend. Try and save some adventure for me when I get there.......
