07-22-2011, 10:52 PM | #1 | |||
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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Fuck Cancer - R.I.P. Dr. Merle Hamburger (1966-2011)
I met Merle through a shared love of indy wrestling, shared a lot of laughs with him at GCW & NWA-Wildside shows in Loganville & later Cornelia, GA over a couple of years. A gregarious sort with a quick, dry wit & a keen eye for both the absurd & the remarkable, someone that you couldn't help but like even when you disagreed with them.
We eventually lost touch but we reconnected via FB less than a year ago, which was when I learned of his fight with pancreatic cancer and the incredible strength he showed throughout the battle. His blog "I'm Not Dead Yet" was remarkable, simultaneously terrifying & inspirational. Intimidating too I guess, as my contact with him was pretty limited after finding him on FB. I mostly stayed on the sidelines & read along, feeling as though he had bigger fish to fry than anything I could offer. Rest In Peace my friend, may we meet again on the other side. Dr. Merle Edward Hamburger, 45, CDC analyst and Scout leader *| ajc.com Quote:
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"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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07-23-2011, 05:02 AM | #2 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Where Hip Hop lives
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Wow, he survived four years with pancreatic cancer? That's impressive.
Sorry for your loss, Jon.
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. . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready. |
07-23-2011, 08:10 AM | #3 | |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Sorry for your loss...
Quote:
Such a simple concept and yet a great philosophy! RIP... |
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07-23-2011, 11:24 AM | #4 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The scorched Desert
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That is a very nice write up, definitely an impressive life cut way too short, sorry for your loss Jon.
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07-23-2011, 11:39 AM | #5 |
College Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Sounds like he was an interesting man & a real fighter.
Sorry to hear about this Jon. |
07-23-2011, 11:46 AM | #6 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
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Quote:
It was the lead obit in the ajc, which is how I discovered he had passed. I knew things had gotten pretty bad, wasn't quite expecting to see his name pop off the newspaper website at me last night however. I appreciate everyone who has read this, but the phrase about my loss really kinda helped crystalize in my mind the reason I felt like I wanted to post about him here. Reading his obit really brought into focus for me just how many people were touched by this. Merle was a cool dude who was into a lot of things before he got sick, he remained a cool dude into a lot of things after he was diagnosed. He transcended a lot of labels, even the positive ones, that would usually end up on a guy. He wasn't "just X", he was "X, but also Y & Z". Heh, I still remember the reaction people would have (me included) when meeting him a some absolutely low-rent indy wrestling show & then finding out where he worked, usually went something like "you're a what? A doctor? For the CDC? And you're HERE? WTF?" Yet somehow he didn't really play the whole riddle-wrapped-in-an-enigma schtick off that, he was just ... himself. Beyond the obvious family & loved ones circle, there's going to be a hole in a lot of places now that he's gone. The fact that I'm going on & on in such a way about a guy who, honestly, probably wouldn't have been in agreement with me on a fair number of pretty serious topics maybe says as much as anything about him. Even when he was flat out wrong he still earned my respect 100 times over and that's a rare bird indeed. I suppose, when you get right down to it, I wanted people who didn't know him or even know about him to get just some glimpse of a person who stands out as one of the most remarkable people I've run across. He deserves a lot more than that obviously, but at least it's something I can actually do.
__________________
"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
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07-23-2011, 12:08 PM | #7 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
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07-23-2011, 12:34 PM | #8 |
General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The Mountains
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That blog is very compelling. I clicked on it just to check it out and ended up there for quite a while. He really managed to demystify the process, really take it on, it was very inspiring.
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