[jluetjen]

Paul Newman has often reminded me of my Dad, at least visually as they got older. They shared a number of features visually (at least to me). The most recent pictures that I've seen of Newman remind me of my Dad just a couple of years ago. My dad was a couple of years older and just passed away in April. Technically, he passed away from Anorexia. The reality is that he was suffering from a series of small strokes which pretty well sapped his desire to keep living. Not even 5 years ago he was still living independently and volunteering at the local hospital where he was often pushing people many years his junior around in wheel chairs. At the end of the day, it's always going to be something. None of us lives forever.

In PLN's case, it may be cancer. It might be something else. But when you're that old, "You don't buy green bananas" to quote George Burns. I've always had a great respect for PLN, and appreciate his "just one of the guys attitude" that I used to see when we both would be racing at SCCA events up here in the Northeast during the 80's. I always avoided taking pictures of him when he was standing around talking because I didn't want to interrupt that moment of inconspicuousness that he was enjoying. I have pictures of him in his car, but not when he was standing 5 feet from me.

I hope that he and his family can enjoy their time together during their twilight years and appreciate the mark that he has made on them, on us and on the world. In the case of my Dad, I'm happy that we were able to do this and he fully understood how much I appreciated all that he had done for me, and all that we had shared in life. It may not have been obvious at the time, but we were able to share that understanding in his final days. So I was lucky to have my Dad pass away knowing that I told him how much he meant to me while he was still alive, rather then wait, and say it over his casket when he can't look me in the eye while I'm saying it.

Paul Newman has certainly been a great contributor to humanity. I hope that he understands how much so many of us appreciate him.