In memory of @Justaris

[Number Six]

It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of @Justaris. Those are words I never expected to have to write, and I've written this post in my head a dozen times over the last week but it never seemed adequate. It still doesn't quite seem real.

 

Joel was a long-time COH player, starting from beta. Those who played on Triumph may know him as Tetujin -- his badging character. He ran often with Triumph Watch and was always happy to bring along some rad/rad defender goodness when people needed more. He was also involved with the Justice Knights supergroup on Justice and some may know him from there. Others may remember him from the forums, where he was always an active participant and loved to help people with builds for their characters.

 

What I'll always remember is the many static teams he ran with a small group of us. From the early days of Team Go & Team USA to steamrollers like Omega and theme groups - some of his personal favorites - like Graves' Posse and the Tin Mage Corps. We had started to resume the tradition on Indomitable and it's very sad that he won't get to lead the mad scientist villain team we had been planning to play next.

 

The thing that comes to mind though is how he was always going out of his way to help others. It was something of a recurring joke in our group - Tet would stop moving for some time (especially noticeable when he was tanking) - and somebody would make a snarky comment. Inevitably, a few seconds later, we'd all see in our chat windows the long reply he had been typing in the Help channel. Often he was helping a new player with some not-very-obvious aspect of the game. Reflecting on it, it shouldn't come as a surprise given his chosen profession. A doctor who served in the military and spent years in Afghanistan - of course he would be the type to always help out when he could.

 

There is much more to his remarkable life outside of the game - his sister wrote a post on his Facebook page with more details.

 

There will be an in-game memorial held on Saturday, December 12, in Ouroboros on Torchbearer. A number of us who knew him are planning to gather at the traditional Weekend Knights start time of 22:00 GMT (2PM Pacific, 4PM Central, 5PM Eastern). The memorial will remain up for a while afterward for anyone who wants to stop by and pay respects.

 

We will miss you.

[TNT]

I was one of the lucky ones that got to play with him many times.  He is already greatly missed and can never be replaced.  The world, both real and virtual, is a better place because of him.

[Bionic_Flea]

It's always sad and tragic to read these memorials.  Too many heroes have died this year.

 

RIP, @Justaris.

[GM Tock]

I used to team with Justaris back on live... lost touch with him before the shutdown and haven't heard back since.

 

This is terrible news, and I hope his family find some solace in the coming weeks that he had many friends out there.

[Easter Bunny]

In an already immensely difficult year this news has both been more unexpected and has hit harder than anything that’s come before it. There are truly no words.

 

I met Tet and the Knights in the early days of Live and they very quickly and fundamentally changed the way that I enjoy the game – dedicated full team concepts and leveling them as a group. When the game was sunset our friendships managed to endure.

 

One of my fondest memories of you was our collaboration on the overly-ambitious Adventioneers project. What started out as a fairly simple AE project soon grew into an enormous and elaborate dream to create new content for the game. While it ultimately led nowhere, I will always enjoy the creativity and fun we had developing it.

 

I will cherish your visits up here. And I will cherish the way you helped my wife and I “troubleshoot” our infant son in the early scary days of parenthood, when every cry and every fever was terrifying. Your kindness and willingness to help was always a comfort.

 

And one of the few highlights to this tumultuous year has been reconnecting our team and continuing our tradition of group leveling.

 

Tet, you will be missed. Every level 50 I hit, every costume contest I enter, every base that I design, every team concept that suddenly enters my mind will all shine less bright without you there to share it. You will be missed every time I enjoy a game, a show, a movie, a comic knowing I won’t be able to hear your thoughts on it too.

 

Goodbye, my friend. May you rest in peace. I’m honored to have known you.

 

- EB

[Coyotedancer]

Go in grace. Tetujin.

[Force Redux]

/em holdtorch Rest in peace, hero.

[Bug You 2]

Sigh... Rest in peace Tin Mage.

[Ejlertson]

Sorry to hear of his passing. 

em/ holdtorch

[xeaon]

That guy was the best.

We met early on Homecoming (but not on live) and being in the same SG we teamed many times, and did badge runs.

I shocked to hear the news this morning.

 

RIP

Edited December 12, 2020 by xeaon

[Hyperstrike]

On 12/6/2020 at 10:29 AM, Number Six said:

It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of @Justaris.

 

Don't know that I ever teamed with him.  But I remember him.

Damn.

[xeaon]

I remember he spent a lot of time on help channels, when ever he was online.

If not that, he was always willing to help ppl with badges and what not.

 

 

[xeaon]

[xeaon]

[GM Kal]

I didn't know him, but my condolences to his family, friends, the staff here, and all the players that played with him.
I am really glad he got to play CoH with friends again after shutdown, even if it was a little while. He sounds like he was a wonderful person.