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The funeral, expected to be a private affair, will likely be followed by a public memorial where the industry he helped shape can celebrate his contributions properly. While the stage is now dark and the spotlight has dimmed, the echoes of his performances remain. He lived his life with the volume turned up, making sure every person in the back of the room felt seen and heard. While he may have been taken by a freak act of nature, his impact was a force of nature in its own right—one that will continue to influence and inspire the next generation of storytellers. He left us as he lived: in the company of friends, under an open sky, and at the height of his powers. He will be remembered not for the branch that fell, but for the countless times he stood tall and made a room full of strangers feel like family through the shared, healing power of a laugh.
