I was going to wait on this a few days, but under the circumstances, I decided to post this up now. Wes, AKA Hondo passed away late Saturday night. He was like a brother and this one hits pretty hard.
I had a nice talk with his sister yesterday about everything. He was one tough guy and he hung in there for several months longer than the doctor's claimed was possible.
We shared a lot of shooting, beer's ATV rides, and a love of the Chiefs over the years. He was the kind of guy that if he liked you, he would give you the shirt off his back. (In this case literally, I learned he left me all his Chiefs gear) Hondo was the kind of guy to put everyone else first.
I'll have to double check the area for snow level. I'd like to take one last wheeling trip up Bridger Creek this year, dodge the grizzly's that are out trying to get their last meal and stash a bottle of Pendleton at a place on top of the mountain where we used to stop and just BS. I will hoist a shot to the heavens, say a few words and toast him, every time I head up there.
I'll post more stories along with some pictures in the the thread as it moves along.
RIP my brother, you were one of a kind and you will be deeply missed. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Simply Red:
I will say he was one of the truly 'genuine' humans I'd ever met. I was around him long enough to realize that's his natural 'personality' - truly heartbreaking news. I'm glad he's not suffering now, though.
RIP Wes <3
I came in to say this exact thing. I wish I could’ve met up with him more often, his smile was contagious. [Reply]
I was just poking around at his recent posts and noticed this one from not too long ago. Impressive that he had such a positive attitude about it.
Originally Posted by rockymtnchief:
This is probably a good place to leave this.
March 15th I was diagnosed with uncureable/inoperable stage 4 stomach cancer. I've been doing chemo and the usual treatments since then. We did scans last week to check progress and the chemo isn't working. So they're turning me over to hospice.
I'll still be lurking, but probably won't post much. It was great meeting a bunch of you over the years and thanks for the great entertainment on here. Don't feel bad for me. I've had my bucket list completed for years and I'm in good spirits still.
Originally Posted by DaFace:
I was just poking around at his recent posts and noticed this one from not too long ago. Impressive that he had such a positive attitude about it.
Thanks for posting, sounds as though he was in a good place and lived a full life. [Reply]
Sounds like he gave it a helluva fight against cancer. Sounds like a great dude and friend/family/brother. Sincerest condolences to you and his entire family and friends. You’re doing great with the stories for those of us who didn’t know him. That’s a wonderful way to honor him along with your plans in the great outdoors where you guys hung out. Sounds like he lived life to the fullest and with a smile on his face. Damn hard to beat that! Times like this are always rough. Hang in there Bwana
I can't say I spent much time interacting with him. I'm sure I met him at one of the many CP gatherings over the years.
That said, I'm truly sorry for the loss of your friend Bwana. I have a couple of buddies like that from CP and I'd be devastated if either of them suffered the same fate.
Buddy, I hope all is well with you. Am sorry to read of this loss. It’s tragic. First images I’ve seen of RMC. And as somebody mentioned earlier, that name “Hondo” fits the man.