Tributes to "the R"

Although I never had the chance to get to know Ricardo as well as I would have liked, I did enjoy the talks we had in person as well as the debates we had online. When I first met Ricardo, I actually was intimidated by him. No, not by his size (I’m much larger than he was), and only partially by his intellect (which I can honestly say was one of the highest I’ve ever encountered); what struck me about him was his creativity...to take an interest in various subjects that most would never consider, or even try to understand, and utilize them in a manner most would never realize to make a valid point. His eclectic interests in numerous pastimes are by far the most unorthodox I’ve seen, but I say that as a compliment.

It’s these same unique sets of interests, which drew people of all walks of life towards him to hear what he had to say, and what he could witness to them. And he would do this without the usual judgemental call of the person(s) involved. It was our mutual interests in movies, music, comics, philosophy, political debates, and religion, which drew me to him, much like how many similar and different interests drew others to him as well. Yet in spite of his deep receptive thinking, and high intelligence, he always remained humble, which many can identify with how he presented himself, how he treated others and by his words, both spoken and written.

That is what I admired about him most. He was always the creative idealist behind the DRD Movie Musings, hence the “R” in DRD, and he will be greatly missed.

My fellow philosopher, movie critic, and brother in Christ, you were one of a kind. 

Midnight Wanderer

Partner

DRD Movie Musings

The “R” in DRD Movie Musings, Ricardo, died in April 2014. Far too young, totally unexpected, the pain of such sudden and irreversible finality continues to ache.

I’m just one of so many who were blessed to call him friend. The last concert I attended, in spring 2013, was by invitation from him, which I gladly accepted – not because of the band (I hadn’t even heard of Muse), but because it was a chance to hang out downtown, do the Starbucks thing, and talk. About work, life, philosophy, spirituality, the vanity of the rat race, the search for meaning that people – from the poorest to the richest – engage in earnest.

Back then, work seemed to be going well for both of us. As it would turn out, things would change drastically for me a few months later; but Ricardo seemed to have really hit his stride, finding a company and a role that gave him a supreme opportunity to ply his craft and share all he had, and he was the kind of guy who put his all and everything into everything he did. Always impeccably dressed, but with a casual ease that came off like he really wasn’t trying when he balanced contemporary fashion with an air of old school and utter polish. Educated. Articulate. A great teacher, because he was a great student. A gentleman and a scholar. He was a person of excellence to a degree that, if you didn’t know him, you might hate him for appearing so perfect; in knowing him, however, his humility eliminated any purchase for hating, he was just such a nice guy.

I’m saddened also that I did not know he had cancer. It must have been lonely for him, going through the therapy. If he struggled with God about it, few would know, because his ministries, especially through Facebook, were a reliable stream of Christ-centred encouragement to all, betraying no conflict or doubt that God is love when things are good, and when they aren’t. On the day he died, he posted his daily comment like any other day, not knowing it would be his last. He’d had surgery to remove a tumor recently; reports were that it went well, but post-operative complications led to a heart attack later that day.

Reflecting on the circumstances surrounding our last hang out, how things were going, etc., the lasting message for me is that everything is temporary, and it makes sense to live a life of quality, as far as is within our control to do so, since we have limited control of the quantity.

And as for DRD Movie Musings, his inspiration remains at the vanguard of what we do. God speaks through movies, to people who move in non-church circles. To help people get the message, we talk about movies - even those which may not have any particular message, because understanding how movies communicate is part of the work.

To Ricardo, I say peace, bruh — through faith I aspire to see you again.

D.A.

Partner

DRD Movie Musings