Merry Christmas Tad

Tad leaves a life of legacy that gives our family and his friends strength, hope and pride. Lauren said it best in Tad's blog about how many tears shed over his lost. Not having Tad around is still tough to say the least. I sometimes wonder how many times many of us have driven around malls, or school parking lots, around street blocks before meeting clients, students, teachers, going to farm or grocery stores in order to wipe tears, gain back our composer so we can carry on our purposes in mind that day. On some days, it's a mustard seed of faith that helps me move the mountain of loneiness and depair not having Tad with us.
Dec. 11, Tad's 35th birthday, our family traveled to Colorado to a place Tad loved to ski and have fun. Lauren took care of the logistics of getting great deals to help on expensives. Turi and I drove our Subaran and met Santo, Amy, Isa, and Ginnia at the air port. Santo drove us to our mountain home provided by my cousin Joyce and husband Jerry. They were so gracious for giving us a wonderful place to relax and have fun. A fun and big home, Isa and I counted 115 light switchs for math exercises our first evening.
Roy, one of Tad's best friends, came one evening and bless us with words about Tad. A neat three days of fun.
Some after Tad's funeral, Turi and I stored all the sympathy cards in a paper sack and decided to do something about them. We choose to pick a card randonly each night before bed, read it out loud, then pray for that person or couple who sent it. We prayed that God would bless their lives, and gave thanks to God for what they have done in our lives. This has been a tremendeous sense of peace for us and we look forward to this occasion each night. Isa and Ginnia like doing this too when they are with us. It's been nearly 8 months from Tad's passing and we are almost through the cards.
Now we are thinking of finding a tombstone that will give each one who visits Tad's grave site a sense of peace and happiness. We will a picture of Tad, a mountain scene, and a saying that will help keep Tad's legacy alive for our family, especially for Uncle Tad's neice and nephew.
Tad was one heck of a guy, brother and son. His journeys span the globe. His journels of those experiences enlighten readers to how good and wonderful this earth we call home is.
Tad brought to our home some wonderful and loving people. One very special person is a gal named Lauren. She is pretty, witty, smart and silly with a heart of gold. We still love when she calls our son, Taaad. Amy and Lauren keep in touch faithfully and we have fun hearing from her too.
PT, Backroads, REI, friends, of Tad, you did all you could to help make Tad's life meaningful and productive. Our family says thanks. Scott aka, Stewy, we can not thank you enough for helping in those tough times.
We live on with Tad's goals in mind very day---make people happpy, have them feel good about themselves, let people leave your presense with a sense of peace, a sense of love, and sense of happiness and above all, don't mess with coffee, put Mayo on everything you eat.
For our gift to you this day of Christmas, Turi and I ask each one of you to reach for your Bible, turn to verses that Tad marked in green, Isaiah, 40, verses 28 through 31. I hope this will set into your minds what Tad wanted us to believe, what gave Tad that relentless drive to accomplish what he did, and what love does for poeple who puts their hope and trust in Jesus Christ, no matter what sickness, disease, or failures comes your way. It's true, it works.
Merry Christmas Tad, Merry Christmas to all of you.

I leave you with Tad's legacy- peace, love, happiness.

Love,

Tad's Mom and Dad
Proverbs: 3: 3-6

Birthdays Will Always Be Remembered

December 11, 2010 - Tad, we celebrate you, your zest for life and your adventurous spirit. Today has been a day of firsts as many have been without you with us. It was a birthday not celebrated with"coconut cream pie", it was a family gathering with the honored member missing, it was a day with as many laughs as there were tears...however, your strength, courage and character will forever live within us. I may have lost you, but I have gained a family I couldn't imagine living without.

You'd be so proud as Isa and Gianni learned to ski and board today, Amy and Santo showed promise of dynamic anticipation as they glided down the mountain, Mama and Papa sowed their wild oats tubing, and I...I managed to get buried in about 3 ft of fresh powder:)

Though you touched the lives of many - you lived for your family, your friends, and for me and that is an honor only few know.

I hope that you have found PEACE, you know that you were LOVEd, and all those that you've touched find their HAPPINESS - Lauren

Makes you smile...

I still have moments almost daily that make me think of Tad, some not so blatant as seeing this new Sno Cone store in Overland Park over the weekend... thanks for keeping us smiling!

-Brian Glaves

I am sure that, like a lot of you, I have been having a difficult time putting into words how much Tad meant to my life. I was very fortunate to spend many years in a close friendship with Tad. He never ceased to amaze me with how much life and laughter he could breathe into a room.
We lived together for two years in Kansas City, while Tad was going through P.T. school and I was in D.C. school. During those years, there were a lot concerts, plenty of partying, and very few dates. I blame the latter on Tad discovering his love of the guitar. When Tad first started to play, his "repetoire" consisted of about 5 songs---most of which were the classic 80's hair band songs and (of course) a couple Pearl Jam songs. Many MANY nights around nine or ten I would hear loud thumps coming up the stairs, followed by a tap on my door and Tad's booming voice coming from his grinning face ordering "let's get to work". Like everything else in his life, the "practice" was not done half-ass. The scene was thus: Tad and Chad, a bottle of dirt-cheap Merlot, sheet music of some God-awful Poison/Bon Jovi/Indigo Girls' song, and two voices bellowing at the top of their lungs a little ditty (at times about Jack and Diane). As I said before, Tad would not except half-ass. Every word had to be down perfect, and the only volume was loud. It was a blast....
On a more serious note, I learned so much about the beauty in life from Tad. He had a never-ending supply of love, laughter, and a unique insite to the little things most of us tend to take for granted. His friendship was such an honor.

Thanks for listening. I will miss and always love my brother.

Chad....or as Tad would say: "that guy Chad"

P.S. I thought of telling the infamous Pike's Peak story, but I could never come close to getting it the way Tad could do it, as he could get even people who didn't know us crying tears of laughter while telling it. This picture was taken at the top, just before he nearly froze and I hitchhiked with the hillbillies. Little did we know what a story this trip would make....

Thank you all!

My nephew was here for Memorial Day. He showed me how to enter onto the Tad's blog. So here goes. Of course I confess, Tad did not pick up his writing ability from his parents.
Turi and I want to thank you all of you who wrote in the blog and told us how Tad touched your lives. These single expressions of love have undoubted helped us with our lost of Tad. From the short stories, videos, and and poems, they have all caused us to return almost daily to check to see if something new was on the blog.
Some of you know that Turi and I left a week after the funeral and traveled to Jackson Hole and visited the places where Tad traveled, slept, or ate at. Somehow we could feel Tad with us while we were there. We even climbed part way up Snow King until we ran into snow. Good excuse to quit for us old people.
Some of you may know that when we reached our motel in Jackson, we were given the room # 57 which was Tad's college football number. We knew the Lord lead us there to help with our healing.I couldn't speak when I found out and told Turi outside the motel. I will always remember how blessed we felt when that happened. Kai, thank you for showing Tad's "footprints" at Jackson.
The picture you see was something I wanted to do for him while Tad was working on the tractor in other fields. After the picture was taken, we made arrangements for Tad to view the field art from the air. Several weeks ago, we found this picture, and we agreed we saw something new in it. Look above the K-State print, and we see snowy mountains that he captured years later.
Tad did not particularly like to drive a tractor, but loved driving a combine. We spent many years combining together until he began his travels, Backgrounds and REI. Soon we will again start wheat cutting, and this will bring us many fond memories.
Several people wonder how we are coping and say they can't imagine what you are feeling. We say to them that if it were not for people like you who are reading the blog, calling us on the phone, and seeing us on the street, it would a lot more difficult. Like all of you, his parents agree with you how Tad has taught us more things in these past few weeks to live our lives more fully and and simply have fun.
We think of Tad as what was written in a card, "And we think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched... for nothing loved is ever lost... and he was loved so much."

Love and respect to all of you,

Al and Turi

1st Trip to Caldwell

I'm not sure how many people are still reading this blog (I look at it almost daily still). I came across this video the other day from my first trip down to Caldwell...city girl on a "real" tracker...who would have thought!

Backroads Story – Melanie Leavitt “Tad M”

I probably shouldn’t say this, but Tad was my very favorite new leader the year he was hired. And this was before I knew he was funny. He became my favorite because I gave everyone homework and Tad completed his first, filled things out thoroughly, and legibly (!), and then thanked me for training him. He had the most impeccable manners. I never got to spend much time with him, but he had a way of making an impression, and every interaction I had with him made me happy. Even when talking about something serious, you felt like he was just on the edge of making a little joke. I’m remembering him now from the last time I saw him… dancing slightly frantically at Tony and Soraya’s wedding with his big smile charming everyone, and his long limbs taking up half the space on the dance floor.

Backroads Story – Brain Pachtman “Short Muscles…Long Muscles”

I was so very lucky to be able to work with Tad for a while in Death Valley. So, picture Tad and I staying in a ridiculously crappy hotel room...and doing lunge twists throughout our stay together. He made fun of me every morning for being a "drug addict." (i.e. coffee drinker). I even remember us calling Tony one night and how he would call Lauren every night just to say hi. Everything he did was so heartfelt and genuine. Every word out of his mouth seemed to echo in my ears.

I still to this day question if the guests on our trip even knew our names. Being that Tad is quite a few inches taller than I am, the guests called us "long muscles" and "short muscles." And this is all because of the great energy that Tad brought to the trip. I thank you Tad for the all the great advice you gave me during that trip and how much fun I had with you.

You will be missed...by everyone you have ever met.

Nathan Clevenger “Adventures in Autobiography”

By request, here is Tad’s H&T autobiography (which Tony read yesterday):

I am honored to have been chosen as a possible profile for the Backroads web page. Devin and I finished a 3 night / 4 day Death Valley trip and rewarded ourselves with a night out in Vegas. Needless to say, I write to you slightly hungover (what do they put in those hurricane drinks?), the wallet a bit thinner, and laying in my deluxe mini-fullsize bed in Las Vegas's finest America's Best hotel room (41.99/night). But I digress.

Hopefully this is what you are looking for - I haven't taken the time to look at the webpage but am just going with my gut instinct and writing from the heart. Laugh, cry, ponder, but most of all, if you feel so inclined, share this profile with Nathan as I do miss him and think of him at least every other odd month.

"Living, Loving, and Learning - Backroads Style" - Not sure if you need a title for the profile but thought this would work nicely; just let me know.

"Who would of thought in two years a straight-laced, clean-cut, small-town Kansas farm boy could have assailed to such heights. As I tipsily stroll down "The Strip" filling my wallet with free night club / escort cards at 2ish AM looking for the guiding light of the neon "Hooters" sign indicating the general vicinity of my hotel I reflect on my tenure at Backroads and how grateful I am that I took a left instead of a right on the "Highway of Life".

What does Backroads mean to me? Simply put: M&M's. It feels good to wake up in the morning with that low-blood glucose shaking feeling and know that all I have to do to stop it is to stumble to any Backroads trailer to get my fix. That's reassurance no 401 K can provide.

Besides a lifetime supply of M&Ms, Backroads has allowed me a platform to showcase my true talent - talking. Each trip provides for me another captivated, or possibly the right word is "captive", audience in which I can do what comes naturally to me; talk. "I know this trip is about Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, but let me tell you a little about growing up on a farm in Kansas and what geothermal features and harvesting wheat have in common." - just one example how I segue into a mind-blowing/numbing self-interactive conversation with guests on trips. I know they love it!!!!

To conclude this personal, intimate, cut-beneath the skin "Backroads Profile," I hope this leaves you pondering, "Who hired this guy?"

Tad

Arash Bayatmakou “A Great Gathering”

A group of us met in Berkeley yesterday to talk, grieve, laugh, eat, share stories, and celebrate Tad's life. It was wonderful to learn about all the different ways in which Tad had touched each of us and the memories that he leaves with us, as he now rests in peace. I had always known how funny and charming he was in person but it wasn't until yesterday that I realized how brilliantly hilarious he could be in writing (see the Snakecharmer entry for an example).

Tad, it pains me to think of your suffering in the last year and how difficult it must have been for you, but you have left a smile lingering on my face that I will always have when thinking of you. Here's to 2 PB&J sandwiches my friend...

Michelle Sisson “Tad: The Musical”

Here's an updated version of the video we showed at Tad's gathering in Berkeley last Sunday.

http://vimeo.com/10903672

If you never had the chance to work, live, hike, do lunges and blast songs in the van -- well, here's your chance.

Backroads brought out the best in Tad. Thanks to everyone who shared photos and videos.

Hadley Robertson “Pause for Comfort”

We were on our way to FAM in Yellowstone National Park when our caravan suddenly stopped mid-trip at a gas station. It was apparently time for some stretching because the driver of Tad's vehicle had complained from back pain. I'm sure the station attendant and passer-bys wondered what we were all doing--circled up, stretching and following Tad's leadership on (yes L.I.) good posture and proper stretching technique to poractice then and always. It was a great reminder to stop what you're doing once in awhile and take care of yourself. Thanks for that reminder Tad!
We later followed a trail far into the backtrails of The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone again following Tad's leadership (and perserverance) on a wild hike to find a mysterious waterfall. We never found the said trail but we did create a memory by sticking with the hike through a 'snowing' situation. Again, thanks for the leadership Tad!

Eoin Canny “615 lbs of lean red meat”

December 07. A large contingent of 2nd year leaders were presearching on New Zealand's North Island. As part of our diligent prep, we visited the Zorb site near Rotorua. In case you're wondering, Zorbing involves climbing into a large plastic ball, pre-filled with 5 gallons of tepid water, before aiming oneself down a steep hill and praying for deliverance. After a little negotiation, the Kiwis decided to comp three leaders on a single downhill excursion. Someone thought it a good idea that the three largest, ungainliest leaders present should be the victims: cue Dan Shaw, Tad and I sliding into the aforementioned Zorb. If you'd care to imagine a washing machine on a rapid spin-cycle consisting of six elbows and six knees, then this was it. I think I broke 2 ribs on the descent. One comforting thought amidst the pain was the sound coming out of Tad: he was squealing in pleasure on the same pitch as a teenage girl at a Backstreet Boys concert. Manly man my arse. The momentum gained by all that meat meant that we broke through the employee brake people at the bottom, and almost went through the catchment fence. Those present claimed that the spectacle of us emerging from the Zorb afterwards was akin to that of a large translucent cow giving birth to very wet pink-skinned triplets.

Tad dude, I'll forever hear your girlish screams. Slan go foill (goodbye, but just for a little while).

Eoin

Final Letter...

Queenstown, New Zealand

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Dear Tad,

I've been thinking a lot the past few days, thinking if I had one more moment or one more day what would I have done differently, what would I have said. I know in times like these there are regrets and anger, there are more tears then you ever thought your body could possibly produce. I want you to know that although I have absolutely no control over the tears, I have no regrets either. I know that even though your time was short, you truly accomplished all your goals. You wanted to help people, you wanted to travel the world and you wanted to make people happy.

You've changed my life into something I never thought was possible. You taught e to live every day to the fullest and to live out my dreams. You taught me to explore, but stay true to my roots and myself. Your dreams were big, your personality was bigger and you loved with all your heart, but the wholesome qualities that lay underneath were from the small town you grew up in and the upbringing you experienced. You touched so many people and brought the best out in everyone.

I will always remember your construction paper creations, your email poems, and listening to you play the guitar. Our travels around the world, our first dance and your passion for music. I will alway remember that you were the "real" ping pong champion in the warehouse, that Daughtry and Nickleback are the only two bands that could hold a candle to Bon Jovi and that sanwiches should always come in pairs. Photos weren't meant to be serious, there is always and excuse to bring up the KU National Championship basketball game and that coffee is a drug...so get high on life, not on drugs. I will always remember your love for your family and friends, your zest for life and our unending search at every National Park to find the best "educational" game to bring home to Isa and Giani.

I will alway remember the way we would laugh together, dance as if no one was watching, and that every converstaion ended with a big smooch. I will always remember the way you looked deep into my eyes and touched my soul, the way you lived every day like it could have been your last, and the way you loved me.

You taught me that Miracle Whip made everything taste better, one should always carry sharpies and chap stick in their pocket, and how to take advantage of using the library. You taught me about farming, reach and balance and multi-directional lunges. That I had to learn the fundamentals of football as opposed to watching guys in tight pants, how to embrace every new experience with open arms and to eat with gusto.

If I had one more day, or one more moment...I wouldn't change a thing because knowing you these last few years, I have created some of my most lasting memories.

I loved being in love with you, loving you and being loved by you.

I promise, in time, I will continue to explore, to challenge myself and alway return my library books on time.

Peace, Love and Happiness,

Lauren

Moab, Utah

Cascade to Paint Brush Canyon, Wyoming

Cascade to Paint Brush Canyon, Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Don't Quit

Tad read this poem to the graduated class of Caldwell HS during his valedictorian speech a few years ago. It seemed appropriate to share, as I'm sure we are all going through our own ups and downs right now.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and depts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Dont' give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!

Author - Unknown

Tackling's not just for football (March 2010-Keystone, CO)

First run of the day Keystone, CO March 2010

Thanks for not "pushing" Brent!

(Lt to Rt - Brent, Lauren, Tad, Shannon, Stewy, Missy, Greg, Julie, Kirt)

Never a serious moment (March 2010)

Margot Jansen “The Music Man”

I had the pleasure of doing a unit drive with Tad from the Teets to Glacier..24 hours in a van pulling a camping trailer listneing to Tad's top 40 music hits..and the best part was he knew every single word and belted it as loud as he could...It was one of the best unit drives I ever had...The killers, Goo Goo Dolls, daughtry and of course Pearl Jam :)

Tad you will be missed terribly, but I will think of you everytime I hear Pearl Jam's "Better Man"...

God bless you...

-Margot

Soraya Vorster “Nickelback and Daughtry...”

More to come soon, but we were all just laughing about Tad's email to announce that he was leaving Backroads in Feb of 2009. Here it is in case you missed it or want to read it again:

Hello my friends,

Due to Tony Pandola's decision to share a lifetime of love and devotion with someone other than just me, I have decided to put myself on the Active Reserve List for 2009. Because of Tony's SELFISHNESS, I will be losing my access to webmail on February 16th. If you would like to contact me, please do so at the following email address:

tadmelichar@yahoo.com

Before signing off, I would like to make two statements:
1. Nickelback and Daughtry are the only two current bands that hold a praery of ever attaining the musical genius and legendary status of the two greatest rock bands ever: Poison and Bon Jovi!
2. To all my "Struggling to beat the coffee-drinking addiction" friends, be strong and always remember, "Get high on life, not on drugs!"

Per chance this is my last webmail publication ever, I would like to say thank you to my Backroad's family for some of the greatest moments of my life!!!

Peace, Love, and Happiness,
Tad

Linden Bader “An adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.”

This is one of my favorite quotes and it really represents the time I spent with Tad. He taught me more than anything to have fun, do what I love, and grasp every moment in life.

Just a few of my favorite Tad memories in no particular order:

Visiting his hometown in Kansas with him, going to his one-building elementary through high school and witnessing everyone literally greet Tad as a celebrity. He truly is the hometown hero. Every single person there remembered Tad, wanted to know what he was doing, and bask in his aura – from the lunch ladies to the school nurse to the football coach. We spent at least 2.5 hours there. Amazing.

Tad banging down my door in the leader house at 7 am the morning after finishing a trip hollering, “Wake up – Snow King is not going to run up itself!” Feats of strength everyday.

South America – 4 months, 5 countries, countless adventures, gastrointestinal maladies, and overnight rides on busses built for people under 5’8”. I just reread his recounting of the theft of his daypack in Bolivia. For me it truly embodies Tad’s attitude towards life. “An adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.” Only he could so eloquently recount such a comedy of errors with humor, humility and a sense of adventure.

And then, of course, only Tad could convince a group of multinational strangers to pose for a “full moon” shot in full daylight.

There are so many more. I’ll never forget you, Tad. Thanks for all the good times.
Linden

Mark Olsen “Lead Like a Champion”

I met Tad on his first day of his career leading for Backroads at the Berkeley warehouse.
He was scheduled to take a van and trailer with all the supplies for the season up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When he showed to the warehouse bright and early he was raring to go! He redefined what organized is for any organization (a breath of fresh air) and I was ready to have him inventory the gear the bikes and quickly send him on his way with Tony, Tanya, Ashley and the rest of the new leaders heading up to the Tetons. After he methodically cruised through taking care of all the gear and checking off the inventory like some one mowing through corn-on-the-cob like a type writer on roids we found one hick up. The trailer break lights were not working properly. This when I learned about who Tad is as a person.

At this point it is 8 o’clock in the evening and we have tried everything to trouble shoot the wiring and we both reached wits end because we had no electrical experience. Was it a short, all the wires were connected, did the manufacturer wire something something backwards. We had to find a higher power to help us fix the situation ASAP. Who would have the knowledge and take our phone call at this late hour? Our fathers. We both pulled out our cell phones and called the other side of the country knowing they are about to go to sleep but knowing they would always answer the phone, help us solve our problems. Tad shared with me his father in Kansas fixed tractors with ease or anything else for that matter. I knew then in that brief moment that Tad was from good stock, salt of the earth, a son of his father. Fix the problem and move on. In a brief moment it defined Tad as being up for any challenge with grace, ease, patience and of course providing laughter every-step of the way. We found out the van was wire wronged and Tad did not get on the road for what must felt like a week which never let forget: )


When Tad shared a story I felt I was right there. I would laugh so hard from his stories that I lost the much needed oxygen to my brain and forget I was actually not there. One of the many stories that stand out is when I saw him one summer in Jackson. Tad told me how he left a message with Bill Sutherland (the enforcer of keeping a tight ship and tighter schedule) at the car crash derby. Tad said, “Hey Bill, Tony and I were at the derby and we’ve entered a Backroads Van in the derby.” The noise of the all the engines roaring loud in the background. Tad then called Bill again a half hour later and said “Hey Bill we made it to the second round and Tony is duct taping the bumper on right now. I do not think we will be able to run the next trip with it.” Bill called him back and jokingly told him he drive a van up himself.



A quote by the son of Kansas. A group of us are having fondue at Laurie Forstrum house before the season started in the Tetons. We are poking at these tiny bite size pieces of food with are little fondue forks which prompts Tad to grumble, “This is not how you eat food!” He gets up and grabs a giant serving spoon, grips it like a wrench and delares, “where I come from we shovel our food.” Of course we all busted out laughing.
Tad always reached for the shovel to dig for the treasures of life. He found long ago anything less was too small to unearth greatness. Tad you will never be forgotten and will always be celebrated.

Enjoy the view from the mountain top my friend.


Mark

Lauran Intinarelli “The perfect Posture”

The first time I met Tad in the Tetons I was hooked. His laugh and personality was irresistable. He once taught me how to have the "perfect posture" Over extend, slouch, over extend slouch, over extend, relax. :Simple as that" he said. I think of Tad whenever I catch my self slouching and put his knowledge to use :)

Tad, I met you as a first year leader, and your kind heart and big smile made me feel welcome right away. Thank you for welcoming me to the Backroads family. You will be missed by everyone, we love you.

Jo Zulaica “finding humor in the mundane”

There was one time Tad was in the warehouse here in SLC...and we were in the kitchen, puttering around lunchtime. He asked me: "so, how old is your son now?"
Forgetting that only moms refer to age in months I said '19 months' before realizing that a Backroads man was very unlikely to connect with that sort of minutiae. But, of course, Tad had many talents.
"oh, so has he mastered alternate-step-stair-climbing, not step/pausing at each level?"
"...uh, yeah!" I said, surprised that he just nailed what Derrick was doing.
"and does he have the fine motor skill of pincher-grasp, not hand-sweep to pick up a small object?" said Tad.
"as a matter of fact, yes!" I said.
"and does he show linguistic competence, able to express himself in more than 2-word sentences?"...and this whole time he's got that trademark grin and head-nod while he's talking, that happy and amused look on his face...
When I just started laughing at this rapid fire interrogation worthy of some specialist doctor's office, he said 'sounds like he's doing just fine.'

Such an impressive guy, on so many levels. So many talents, so much ability. Thank you for sharing your good humor even by the fridge.

Joel Miller “My Tad Story”

Tad gave me a wonderful welcome to Backroads. I had just finished my training trip with Tony my first summer in the Tetons, and we were back at a surprisingly empty leaderhouse. I guess I was coming down off that first trip high, wondering what to do with myself and how this weird life of ours works. The two of us were in the kitchen, unloading our leftovers and reflecting on the trip. Tony was just commenting on how quiet the house was when the front door literally bursted open with a bang, and a dripping wet Tad comes falling in with a soaking case of beer hugged to his chest. After the loudest, happiest greeting I could imagine, the rest of the Tetons crew that summer fell in after Tad, coming up from the Snake river after an afternoon float. In a matter of seconds, that quiet kitchen was now the loud, happy center of a home. Before I could even process the change that had taken place, Tad was on the floor, still dripping wet, but now covered in chocolate cake as he showed us how much he really loved cake. Everyone in the room had to lean on each other we were laughing so hard.

It was a fitting welcome to our life...quiet times, loud times, tired times, and happy times. But most of all, hilarious times. There were many times when Tad had us laughing so hard we had to lean on each other for support. Just as we leaned on each other then, we need to lean on each other now as we remember an amazing person. I'll miss you Tad.

Mark Selcon “Man Voice”

Read with a "Manly" Voice

So…there I am. In the car. With Kitty Mckie D. Returning from my workout. Tired. But not too tired as I am very fit. So unfit (ahem fit) I am wallowing to Kitty about how tired I am. I am in pain.

And…like a sprinkle of Man dust, or in this case Man sweat, it hits me. My MAN VOICE, the deep, grunting, husky voice that I am using right now, RIGHT NOW, regaling Kitty about how fit I am, this deep and almost Bear Trapper slash Hero slash Tool Time slash Radio Guy voice, the one that has made me laugh repeatedly, is Tads.

I didn’t get it directly from Tad. And, admittedly, I do only a very substandard impression of the Man Voice, the version you might see after a second rate headliner on a very small stage, likely tucked away in the back of a parking lot marked Q or X. I got it from the much funnier than I, D-Dub-Squared, who I assume got it from Tony P, who bows to Nate Appy’s version, who got it from Tad.

I never had more than 5 minutes with Tad. Though; his contagious humor and grace, has positively affected me and the many others he has (or even has not) met. From the Tetons to Croatia Tad leaves a lasting impression spreading laughter through many. That is manly!

Tanya Rinderknecht “Solos Women and Tad…”

My favorite Tad memory is one that I hope at least a good number of you have already heard about…I did my best to spread the word as much as possible after the trip (especially because Tad blushed just a little redder every time I told the story)… :)

It was our first season, we were out in the Tetons, and toward the end of the summer, the two of us had a singles and solos trip together. We print the backgrounder: 8 women, 1 man. Great. I say to Tad: “Listen. You keep the ladies entertained, I’ll do all the work, and everyone will be happy. It will be perfect.” Tad scoffs, and dismisses my suggestion with a shake of his head and a “well tanya, I guess we should get back to some real work here…”

We start the trip. As expected, the ladies (age range 29-67) are all swooning over Tad…laughing a little too hard at his jokes, showing just a little too much excitement over the lecture on alfalfa…but hey, this was all part of the plan. I do my best to point out how strong Tad is, how lucky we are to have him on the trip…and I may or may not throw in that he’s a physical therapist, so if people are feeling sore, they shouldn’t hesitate to ask for some…um, tips. (I felt a little bad for the lone guy on the trip, but let’s be honest – he never really stood a chance against Tad anyway.)

Fast forward to day 5 of the trip: we’re picnicking, the ladies are milling about, and I ask if they’d like a picture. As I’m snapping some shots for them, I mention that if they smile especially wide, maybe they’ll make the catalog. A discussion ensues about the fact that guest and leader photos are sometimes used for marketing purposes. An older lady, very matter-of-fact and no-nonsense in her ways, looks up, somewhat confused. “I don’t understand,” she says. “If they're trying to sell trips, why wouldn’t they just use Tad in ALL the photos? He is the PERFECT SPECIMEN, after all.”

And thus, comic relief was provided for the rest of the trip, and for me – and all the leaders I could find to tell - for years. Tad took it well; whenever I re-told the story, he’d shake his head and blush, and try to change the subject. But really, he couldn’t deny it, as Jean was just speaking the truth. Those lunges did not go un-appreciated…

Tad, we’ll all miss you terribly. You are a part of our family, and we love you dearly. Whether it’s eating sandwiches (two, of course), feeding our coffee habits in the morning, standing naked at the top of a peak, trailer diving for the miracle whip for that one random guest who actually likes it, or watching two dudes cry their eyes out while insisting that they really ARE enjoying their 5-star spicy pad thai…we will remember you with nothing but love, laughs and respect. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.

Carin Larkin “Miracle Whip”

always admired Tad for his commitment to be his best all of the time. Whether it was diligently working on Pre-Search or moving an entire camp during a downpour in the Tetons, Tad did everything on levels I can only admire. Like others I had the great pleasure of getting to know Tad. Working in the Tetons with him and the Tetons crew has been beyond memorable.
My favrite memory of Tad was when I made the mistake of saying "eww" when he pulled his beloved Miracle Whip out of the fridge. I think we spent a good twenty minutes debating Miracle Whip and mayo. I personally dislike both but especially despise Miracle Whip. Tad, being the midwest farmboy, adored his precious white condiment. I can't help but smile and laugh out loud remembering this. It was something we would joke about for the following years. For the rest of my life I will not shame the Miracle Whip label but will embrace it with a smile because I will be remembering a friend!
In agreeance with the rest of my Backroads family I am sad and will be missing Tad. I will miss his big heart, big smile, and big laugh.
Thank you Tad for being a part of my Backroads family!

Melissa Schmidt “Grumpy Old Man”

One of my favorite Tad memories was the Halloween of 2006 where he dressed up like a grumpy old man with grey hair, a bathrobe and boxers, slippers, and a walker complete with the tennis balls. He then puttered around with us all night clubbing in the city, perfectly enacting all that a grumpy old man would be at a dance club. It was perfect, the night was made even better by Tony dressed up as a baby in depends.

Kelly English “Sandwiches Come in Pairs”

I didn't know this until I met Tad. They only require two pieces of bread though (open-face sandos). Tad also taught me that Tad's 15 minute work-out from hell will leave you debilitated the next day. Tony and Tad once improved a song that brought me to the ground and tears to my eyes with hysterical laughter so quickly that my tummy hurt more than a work-out from so much laughter. Mr. Brightside has made me think of you since 2007. Tad your soul, smile, wit and humor will live in my memories forever!

Bronwin Gregory “Go Wildcats”

I had the pleasure to lead a few family trips with Tad in New Zealand, over the holiday season several years ago. His humor, gentle super hero style of getting things done and people taken care of- was just damn genuine and lovely to be around. An accomplished college football player, we bonded over cold beers, bowl game statistics, and a mutual die hard love for witnessing a crisp, colorful, college game day at our respective Big 12 schools.

My favorite Tad memories included:

1) being stunned into quiet admiration, for the number of MEAT PIES you inhaled at Auckland gas station next to the airport, on day one pick up of our holiday trip. Please note that while eating, we were both proudly wearing our twinkling reindeer antlers that we would soon be impressing our new guests with.

2) seeing you ZORB for the first time. How on earth you got yourself and those shoulders in and out of that little inflatable hole, cannot be proven through science, and goes against all logic.

3) Dropping our 5 guests off at the airport in Taupo at the end of our Christmas trip and not being sure if we should laugh, or cry that BOTH families either forgot to tip us, or collectively decided against it! We immediately drove to Hell's pizza, grabbed a couple frosty beverages, and went and sat by the lake and laughed through the heartache :)

Thank you Tad, for being my family that winter in New Zealand, and for making it so very easy for so many of us, to love what we get to do, when we get to work alongside a person like you.

I promise to keep rooting for K-State when they play.......except for that game each year against my Texas Aggies :)

with gratitude,
bron

Linda Cassell “Bitten by the Tetons”

Tad, you were the first new leader to arrive in the Tetons in 2006. As soon as you had parked the van & trailer you took off for a run. Twenty minutes later you came back bleeding. You had been bitten by a dog on the bike path. “How random!” we both said. You wouldn’t let me help you clean the wound. We laughed about your ‘canine welcome’ to the Tetons for the rest of the summer. And as it turned out, that dog bite became a metaphor. You were truly ‘bitten’ by the Tetons. You fell in love with the mountain range. You fell in love with the community of friends that developed. We all fell in love with you, Tad.

In your application for the Tetons TS position you wrote about your ideas for improving the trips, how to make the region a great place for leaders, how you wanted to take on more responsibility at Backroads. Of course, I was impressed. Once you had been awarded the TS position, you told me, “Actually, I just wanted to be sure I’d get scheduled there so I could climb peaks on my time off.” And then you let out that deep, heartfelt Tad laugh.

Whether climbing peaks in the Tetons, performing ‘Feats of Strength’ competitions, writing songs with Tony about climbing the Grand, trying to convert everyone to eat Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise, preaching the sins of coffee drinkers, playing practical jokes on co-leaders, explaining the nuances of farming wheat over alfalfa (for the better part of every MYT trip’s 3 hour drive to West Yellowstone!), to designing customized resistance band workouts for anyone who would buy the bands, you always made us laugh, always made us feel good, you always laughed at yourself.

Tad, I was bitten by your gregarious and giving soul that day in the leader house kitchen when you made me laugh over a dog bite. And I’ll never forget all that you have brought me, and so many others, since. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. Thank you for letting us in your life. Thank you for being a friend. I smile and laugh through my tears.

Tad, we all miss you deeply.

Much love – Linda

Circle of Friends

I met Tad through my dear friend, Lauren McKissick. I remember that first night the three of us went to some popular spots downtown as the two of them were fairly new to the Denver nightlife! I was immediately comfortable talking to Tad, who reminded me of several of my own friends. Tad was a part of several nights out involving the BCOR trio (Lauren, Erin, and me), and was always such a great addition. I still appreciate the night we girls moved Tad and Lauren's kitchen table into the family room so we could carve pumpkins right there on the floor. Tad returned from the grocery store and threw a bag of m&ms our way- just what we needed :)

Most recently though, I smile at the night out at a new bar called the gaslamp, where we celebrated Erin's 30th birthday. Tad and Erin duked it out on the ping-pong table. Erin and the rest of the bar learned quickly that Tad could not be beat. For hours, Tad owned each of us, each of our friends, and random strangers at the bar determined to win table rights- to no avail. It was this night I learned that Tad is really good at everything! It was also this night that each of my friends took a liking to him. The first night meeting Tad, and already my pals were planning the next time they wanted to play him in ping-pong at the gaslamp. How quickly a circle of friends was born.

At this time, I know there was so much more to learn about Tad, and so many more memories to be had. The friendship was just beginning, and I am sorry it couldn't have developed further- it would have been great. I will carry those memories close to me as I continue my bond with Lauren. So many miss Tad, yet he will infinitely and forever make us all smile.

Janna Friedland

Backroads Story – Nathan Clevenger “The Snake Charmer”

I was fortunate to work with Tad on several LHE and he was one of the funniest and kindest people I’ve ever met. I’m reminded of my favorite written example of Tad’s wit, wherein he explains the true story behind one of the evaluations Stacy excerpted below:

---Original Message---
From: Nathan Clevenger
Sent: Thu 6/26/2008 8:55 AM

I can only imagine how much I'm going to have to hear about this, ahem, "life saving" incident:

Sally Gries MYTQ080618F1B
"When the raft incident occurred, my husband said Tad was terrific and probably saved our granddaughter`s (Lauren) life-my husband can tell you more. We are most grateful. I got all of my info third-hand, but I also heard that the river guide steering the boat was dazed by the incident and was unable to be helpful in the rescue, whereas Tad was crucial to saving the day!"

The whole thing is mighty fishy to me, Tad...I know you want to impress guests, but there HAS to be a safer way than shoving little kids into the rapids and staging a farcical "rescue"! I can picture you waiting until the parents were looking, and then striking a heroic pose (fit for marketing material) and saying, "I'll save her!" before diving into the water.

---Original Message---
From: Tad Melichar
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 1:54 PM

Dearest Nathan,

Thank you for your heart-felt praise for my "super-hero-esque" feat on the slithering Snake River. Coming from a non-hero like yourself it is appreciated.

Since Integrity, Honesty, and Good Looks are characteristics of a hero (the last one of which I possess), I feel an obligation to elaborate on the story at hand so here it goes...

The True Story of the Heroic Snake Charmer:

It had been a glorious day meandering through the Snake River and everyone was all smiles, with just a hint of sadness in the air as we all knew this was the last day of the trip and would be parting ways much like a fork in the river. Like school children, we lined up to receive whatever was being "served" at the "Lunch Counter" (the name of the Class III rapid we were rafting through).

I was in the lead boat along with Dave Epperson, our trip photographer who seemed more interested in taking pictures of guests than me despite my repeated $1 bribes I routinely slipped into his camera case. As we began our run through "Lunch Counter" I recall the guide yelling something like, "Sit down you fool and paddle" as Dave was just about to take a catalog worthy picture of me standing in a glorious tight wet-suited "Man-Pose." From that point on, I think I blacked out so the rest of the story is from my subconscious - enjoy!!!

As the waves swelled around us, and Poseidon thrust his golden trident at our boat, we paddled with all our might. But alas, we were no Ulysses, and a giant hand-like swell lifted our boat up to the heavens and sent us crashing back down vertically on our side. I vividly remember my last thought just before I fell onto 10-year old Zoe and her grandpa, "Great, we are going to be late for the picnic and I am already hungry."

As day became night, and warmth became cold, I flailed for the surface like a fish out of water; ironic isn't it. As I resurfaced, and had drank down a glorious cup of Oxygen, the sunlight pierced my eyes with the same intensity of my ear-piercing blood curdling screams of "We're all going to die, save yourselves!!!"

After regaining my composure, my cave-man/animal instincts for survival kicked in. The child-sized life jacket that I had squeezed my hulking 200 lb frame into was struggling to keep us both afloat (remember, Nathan, muscle is heavier than fat). I looked all around for another buoyant object and much to my relief I spotted little 10-year-old Lauren bobbing around like a bobber on the end of a fishing line. I swam to her like a Black Lab swims for a stick thrown in a pond. Once I reached her, I calmly instructed her that if either one of us was going to live to see another Christmas, that she should grab onto my lifejacket and swim us both to shore as I floated on my back. Once ashore, I realized that in the melee, I had lost my sunglasses and recalled that I had loaned my sunglass retention straps to Lauren's grandpa to put on his sunglasses - isn't that great. When Lauren's grandpa finally floated close to shore hanging onto a 10 ft tree limb I noticed he too had lost his sunglasses along with MY retention straps - super. Despite this, I helped him to shore.

Once we were all safely on shore, I noticed that we were in quite a pickle as the terrain around us was pretty straight up and rocky. There seemed to be only one choice for survival, climb back in the frigid water and float along the edge in search of help. We rocked/paper/scissored for who would be the one to go. I lost. Begrudgingly I climbed back in the water, not knowing if I would ever see them again, and yelled back as I floated off, "Hope you bought the trip insurance!"

About 50-75 meters down river I came upon our boat, guide, and other guests who appeared to be having a good time hanging out on the shore. I told them of the Lauren and her grandpa's predicament and that I thought they were probably goners as I thought I saw some buzzards flying over head when I left them. However, one of the guides said she had had to hike this section before so we should just hike back and get them. They made me go along since I knew where Lauren and her grandpa were. Have you ever tried hiking in Aqua-socks??? That in itself is heroic.

Once back on solid mother-earth, we told our stories and that is when I came up with the whole thing about swimming over to Lauren and carrying her out of the water and then helping her Grandpa out of the water and then heroically jumping back in the water to go look for help and then fearlessly bushwhacking/hiking back to get them both and that appears to be the story that has stuck - Go figure.

Tad (aka - The Snake Charmer)

Backroads Story – Howie Sardis “He was my hero”

I had the fortunate pleasure to have Tad as my leader on MKUQ. Although I'm embarassed to say that I literally fell off the trail (with my ankle caught on a tree, hanging head first at a 45 degree angle with nothing but rocks and ocean below), it was Tad who rescued me.

I'll never forget the good humor, great leadership, and the overall great guy he was – RIP

Backroads Story – Joe Solomon & Kitty McDonnell “A little taste of Tad”

I had the pleasure of running a trip with him in Maine last August, and he was the quintessential co-leader as always - working as hard as anyone could while always making guests laugh and feel at ease.

My favorite Tad story was from training when we were on the mock trip. Tad was in charge of making coffee, and he somehow missed out on the exact amount of grounds to use. Well, a whole- bag-of-coffee-in-a-little-pot later, we were left with what looked like black wall paste. He proudly took a sip and proclaimed it a "taste of Tad." The saying stuck with us througout training, and we still joked about it in Maine last year.

He will be missed.....

I had forgotten the story Joe told. Not being a coffee drinker, Tad had no idea what coffee should taste like, and even less of an idea how to make it. We had said use 1 & 1/2 for the pot of water. We meant cups. All of a sudden Tad was in a panic and said, "you said to use 1 & 1/2, and I could only find 1!" He had poured one entire 5 lb. BAG of coffee into the pot and if he could've he would have added another... thus the black tar known as Taste of Tad was born. It was hsyterical. That was when I first got to know Tad, and he had me laughing ever since. Tad's best talent? He always got everyone to laugh- and that's the best gift of all.

Backroads Postings

Tad's friends at Backroads assembled a series of stories that paints an outstanding picture of his life and experiences guiding throughout America and internationally. These stories will be posted daily for the next several days. Thanks to everyone at Backroads for this.

Backroads Stories – Stacy Loucks “Good Guy with Long Muscles”

Hearing of the sudden loss of someone that so many folks I know loved, inspired me to try to get to know Tad better myself. Sitting here in the office, I don't have the advantage of hearing some of his beloved co-leaders tell stories and remember him. So, I did what I have access to: his HR files and guest evals. Thought some of you might enjoy seeing what some of his guests have said about him over the years. They lovingly refer to him as "Tadpole", thought of him as family (even felt cared for like he was their Dad!), appreciated his "man pose",and even call him heroic. Who knew he saved a little girl's life? Here is a little, sweet, sampling:

• Very personable and helpful. Very knowledgeable about the geology of the area. Thanks for retrieving my purse one evening!!

• The perfect gentleman, host, mechanic, chief, cook and bottle washer.... Tad does it all and always with a perpetual smile on his face and a willingness to please. We could not have asked for better leaders!

• Outstanding! Tad had a knack for always showing up at just the right moment--when I got something in my eye and needed a helping hand; when I needed a lift up the steepest part of a hill (mountain?); he even showed up with the van one afternoon just as we saw the first streak of lightening.I would love to go on another tour with Tad! He is so positive, helpful, knowledgeable about the region and the routes and such good company!

• Wonderful, excellent, a delight - always on top of things, ready smile, great with the adults and the children on the trip. It would take paragraphs to tell it all. Tad has a wonderful ability to describe the area, geology, biology of the Tetons and Yellowstone. The kids all called him Tadpole because they loved him. Ask him about lunging.

• Great guy, do anything for you. He even laughed at my jokes.

• Tad was an excellent leader. He was wonderful with the kids, offering to sit at the kids table the last night for dinner. He was a class act through the entire trip. We had one guest that was always cracking (not always good) jokes and Tad had a wonderful way of interacting with the guest adding to the fun. Tad was very conscientious of our safety on the tougher climbs with the slick granite. But never took the fun out of the experience.

• I`m 46, but it was like having DAD watch over you. I can`t praise him highly enough

• Outstanding-always had a solution for any problem that occurred-great attitude. When the raft incident occurred, my husband said Tad was terrific and probably saved our granddaughter`s (Lauren) life-my husband can tell you more. We are most grateful. I got all of my info third-hand, but I also heard that the river guide steering the boat was dazed by the incident and was unable to be helpful in the rescue, whereas Tad was crucial to "saving the day!"


• Tad and Lauren are so much fun - I am still laughing at my pictures of Tad with the "man pose". The guy is crazy, but very fun! and I loved how Lauren "volunteered" us to do the hula dance (I really had a great time with that too!) Both were very knowledgeable of facts of the area - from the trees, culture, history, geography, etc. etc. By the end of the week, I felt as if both Tad and Lauren were like my family. I really enjoyed their company and already miss them. I would love to have them as my Leaders on future trips.

• Tad and Lauren work so well as a team that I`m only writing 1 descriptive comment. They were extremely (extend this adjective to everything that follows) knowledgeable, entertaining, the perfect hosts. They kept us moving along, but were completely supportive of everyone`s wants and needs. Here`s where I can differentiate a bit: Tad was heroic when I fell off the trail. (I am sure that Lauren would have reacted similarly but our group was split, so she didn`t have the opportunity to rescue me) When it comes to the hula, I have to say Lauren has it all over Tad. Every move, every gesture was graceful and expressive. Tad, to his credit, showed a lot of game. Together they made our experience just great.

And one of my personal favorites: " good guy with long muscles "

Hope this is a joy to read.

Celebrating Tad: Peace, Love and Happiness

Yeah, that's me getting doused by a pitcher at a local watering hole in Manhattan. Shocking that Tad is smiling and that he had some set up with a camera! To be fair, it was payback for something that I had pulled off on Tad earlier in the week (albeit, I can't remember it, nor did I catch it on camera.) It's been a week and I still can't grasp it. I really appreciate Korte setting this up and I've been trying to think of the story that sums up Tad or provide a nugget that someone doesn't know. What I've came to realize is that everyone had Tad. You didn't get a watered down version of Tad, a professional Tad, a funny Tad, a competitive Tad, a best friend Tad, a I just met you Tad... you always got him full strength. I've shared his passing with my friends who maybe met him at a wedding or an outing, years ago, they remember him. My family, who only met Tad a few times remember him. Tad, you left your mark on so many people in such a short time on earth, words fail to convey your impact.

I met Tad shortly after I moved in to Haymaker Hall, 7th Floor at KSU. Tad was "the football player" at the end of the hall. We rarely saw him at first. He was gone well before any of us got up and would only pass our rooms late at night (fast walking of course) on his way back to the last room on the right, where he would have his desk lamp on and some big book cracked open. He slowed the walk as the weeks wore on, enough to give us a smile, see what was going on. We were all in awe of Tad.

As the second sememster came around, football had slowed for Tad, Mark Miller was headed over to a dinner of some sorts at the DU House, asked if I'd like to come. He invited Tad as well. I laugh that I was their "Mississippi" to make those guys look good. Mark reminded me he was sporting his "Ronaldo Haircut" and needed support. In hindsight, we probably shouldn't have brought Tad, between his smile, his grades, that personality and his athletic ability he made our chances of getting in the house slim at best! However, it all worked out and we began our 3 years at the fraternity, years we will never forget.

I was fortunate to go to a number of concerts with Tad. As mentioned, a truly memorable experience. One in particular happened after college. Pearl Jam came to Sandstone, Tad had great tickets, Chad Jacobs and I didn't. Of course, that didn't matter. We were shortly front row and center, Eddie less than 10 feet away. The heavens opened up and dropped a good 6 inches of rain during the show. By the end we were standing on our chairs, still under water, as the water flooded towards the stage. Pearl Jam never slowed down. Tad sang every word. I sang "banana, banana, banana" a lot that night.

It was sad that Wednesday was my first trip to Caldwell, a town that I had heard so much about. Joe Bush, Mark Miller, Jason Brandau and I made the trip down from KC. There and back, we never had to turn the radio on. Tad stories and his impact on us filled the 8 hours on the road. It was good to talk about them, we need to keep these memories alive.

On a side note, when we did get to town, we parked a block down from the church. Mark and I had made the trip in shorts and needed to change into our suits. Of course it's sunny out, cars driving by and we are across the street from a school and a church. We joked that it probably wasn't a good idea to change right there, but we did. As we are almost done, we catch a gal in the corner of our eye coming across the street, thoughts are "great, we've been in town 5 minutes and we are going to get yelled at." Instead, this unknown lady says "I'm sorry boys, I should have came over sooner. I live just two doors down there and you all are welcome to go in my house and change clothes. House is unlocked, yellow lab might lick on you, but she's friendly." She goes on to say "my husband helped to coach Tad in football, and any friends of Tad, we know are good people. You are welcome to come over to our house any time, doors always open."

Tad you will be missed, but not forgotton. Love you man, Brian

Tad, at some Slab event, taking it all in.

Tad was green before green was cool

Tad, Buster and Jacobs, a great ski trip to New Mexico.

Greg, Brandon and Tad

Tad's trading card he gave out his Freshman Year

Good looking group of guys

Yeah, 7 days before Tad's 21st, hence the reason the picture is outside of the bar...

Fiesta Bowl Bound

Tad on Mt. Rainier climb, 2005

My Friend Tad

PT Graduation 2001

I promise, this is Tad. If you could see only see his smiling face and hairy thighs (see below).

Tad was always there for a friend

As many of us have been doing this week, I have been relfecting about the life and times of our friend Tad. I first met Tad in Physical Therapy school at KU Med, and he was my friend from day one. But that is what Tad was to everyone he met. He always had an open heart and a huge smile for everyone who crossed his path. He had a goofiness and laugh that was contagious as well. He was always able to see the lighter side of things, but he also remained very vigilant with his studies, which was Tad's competitive side.....always striving to be the best. And trust me, we had some battles down in the low post playing basketball which would attribute to Tad's competitive side. But Tad was always gracious in victory or defeat, showing his selflessness.

After school, Tad was working as a traveling physical therapist in some po-dunk town in Illinois. Just the kind of free spirit thing that Tad was known for.....traveling, experiencing new people and places, and taking on new adventures. I was living nearby in St. Louis and he wanted to come visit. The weekend he wanted to visit was the weekend that I was moving into my first house. I had let him know the situation, and that it was OK if he wanted to come up another weekend. But as everyone knows who was lucky enough to meet Tad, he was always willing to help just to have some good company and a place to lie his head. The move was awful.....lugging all my possessions through some rain and smoldering humidity, and I never would have been able to do it by myself. Tad helped me all weekend, both packing my apartment up and unpacking at the new house. He added his "expertise" in what to keep and what to throw away.....we think he took some artistic licencse with this power, but that was our friend Tad. I think we just paid him in beer and a mattress on the floor, and yet he was happy to help. The above picture is only of the back of his head, but is still shows all the greatness that makes us love Tad. He is someone that when you reflect upon his life, makes you want to be a better person and live life to its fullest. Thanks Tad, you will be missed but never forgotten.

I would be remiss if I didn't lighten the mood a little bit.....it would be how Tad would have wanted it. During one of our lab classes in PT school, we had to practice massage. Everyone in the class was paired up. Our luck, Tad and I were paired together......one of the only male on male pairings....not our preference, especially for lower extremity massage. Needless to say, both of our hands ventured to regions neither of us were real comfortable with. It was a tentative massage at best from both of us, and we could barely control our laughter. I still remember Tad's hairy ass thighs to this day. I believe we told that story everytime we saw each other, and we died laughing everytime. Just yesterday, I had another hairy leg massage from a hamstring strain and I knew Tad was looking down on me, laughing his ass off. Thanks for the smiles and laughs Tad.