Chad Kellogg Killed by Rockfall.

It must have been sometime around 1994 or so...maybe my dates are off it doesn't matter. This kid showed up down at the climbing rock. Jeff Robertson and I were there and met this kid with burly, tough-looking strong arms and a really rough looking face with a set jaw. He came right up and started hanging out with us. He was just learning to rock climb. He gravitated to Jeff and I because he immediately recognized that we were some crazy f*cks. That kid was Chad Kellogg. We liked him too because there were so few kids that showed up down there and even better when a really crazy one showed up we loved it. He explained to us that he was on the Olympic luge team and he told us that yes, you absolutely could jump off the Montlake bridge. He had done it several times. He taught us how to hold your arms when you jump so as to not break your humerus bone. We loved this new kid.... he was ROUGH. And it was pretty obvious that he was DRIVEN.
I gradually found my way out of climbing. Injuries took their toll and I started to lose trust in myself. I lost touch with many people along the way but still kept within the core circle the original kids that we used to climb with at the rock. The rock bound so many of us together and forged lifelong bonds.
One day just a few years ago, I got a friend request on Facebook from none other than the world famous climber Chad Kellogg. He wrote a little note with his friend request that said something like "Hey August, it's Chad.I don't know if you remember me but I met you down at the rock with Jeff Robertson. I always admired you guys and how hard you guys were climbing and how crazy you guys were...." or something like that anyways. It made me smile. Here was Chad, world famous climber reaching out to me and paying some respect for some boulder problems I did at the climbing rock almost 20 years ago. That was Chad though. Always humble to his core. It had been forever since I had seen him and I looked at his facebook profile and saw a picture of him and his rough looking face with the set jaw and my mind was transported back to that day when the kid with the rough looking face and burly arms taught Jeff and I that, yes, it was OK to jump off the Montlake bridge.
Sometimes I regret never having made that jump. I doubt I ever will but I am glad I have the memory of Chad's spirit in my head. I am very glad that I had a chance to exert some of my own influence on him when he was new to climbing. Much as I am very glad that I was able to exert some of my influence on you as well Chris. Never forget that trip that you and I and Jeff and Rich made up to Squamish. I remember it was your first climbing trip and when you saw what Jeff and I were up to, you made a decision on the spot that altered the rest of your life. It doesn't matter what you do, just be in it fully. Cross your damn arms like you are giving yourself a hug if you ever decide to jump off that damn Montlake bridge.
Chad would go....

I hadn't seen Chad in over 15 years, and finally caught up with him 11 months ago at his Pasadena slideshow. He was happy to see me, almost deferential - I laughed a little at that - classic understated Chad. We hung out for a while and caught up, and one thing I will never forget that he noticed: How happy Skip and I are together - he really got the connection. I was so happy to have him recognize our love, it was just the strength of his spirit to see that so quickly. Goodbye my friend, you lived so hugely, and will be hugely missed.