To My Friend, Paul O'Donoghue

We have lost a giant.

Paul O'Donoghue was a towering figure.

He was smart.
He was funny.
He was warm.
He was deep.
He was generous.
And, he was flawed.
But, above all, he was a most gentle man.

I loved him.

The tributes that are pouring in by the hundreds are a testament to his impact on his family, friends, and entire community. This village, in which he lived his entire life, is a lesser place this morning. Christmas, without Paul as Santa, can never be the same. My dog, and hundreds of others, will not receive the biscuit treats that he constantly kept in his pocket. And, personally, I will miss him stopping his bike ride to say, "Frankie, how's life treating ya'?"

I believe that it's safe to say that Paul's life touched hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. I know that he touched mine in ways that will never be forgotten. Over the course of time, I could share dozens of Paul O'D stories of humor, charm, and, yes, a bit of lunacy.

I'm sure that many of you have your own memories and fitting stories of Paul. I hope that you will share them over the course of time. It hurts very much right now to think that we will not see him again, well, all over town. But, in time, his wonderful legacy will make us smile again.

Now, let there be peace - to his many friends, and, most of all, to his equally wonderful family.