Dino Scoppettone, 1969-2008

While working on the UCSB Daily Nexus newspaper, a few names came up over and over. Dino Scoppettone was one of them. I couldn't have met Dino in person. I would've remembered this guy. For sure.

Last night Dino died at Alta Bates Hospital. The cause was cancer. He was 38 years old.

Reading his blog makes me happy, not sad. It makes me happy because of passages like this:

The thing is, I know it will end, and I know there is an amazing life waiting for me on the other side of this, and even though that point might be many months away, the knowledge that I will survive, combined with the power of my support group, provides me with a strength that I'll never be able to quantify. My parents wonder why I don't seem to get depressed or why I don't spend a lot of time crying, and the fact is, I just don't feel that way. I'm sure I will at some point, but overall, I feel like this is just the path that has been laid before me, and I must follow it, and it will lead to good things for me and for everyone else that is following me and carrying me on their shoulders through the rough patches. It might suck at times, but we'll all be stronger for it in the end.

Dino, you kicked ass. I'm sorry I didn't get to hang with you in person.