Sunday morning I woke up to the news that a good friend of mine, Chris Young, passed away. My first reaction one of sadness and I simply said to my wife, "He was a great dude." Chris and his wife Marie would come over from London (not London, Ohio) and visit the states. In fact, our first meeting was a small seminar we had at EFS at the original 122 S. Main Street address. Chris was a passionate lifter and we originally bonded over our love of strength. But that soon morphed into a friendship that went far beyond training. Chris was simply a great dude. Chris would visit every couple of years. His visits were always a highlight for me. He and Marie were so damn nice, and they'd come visit me at work and brighten up everyone's day. Due to my love of foul language, they presented me with a large book of dirty words so I could broaden my horizons. He introduced me to Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins and we'd discuss their ideas and have a good talk, and a good laugh. The past few years, my wife and I would talk of where we'd like to travel. The first place for me was always London. Not for any reason other than being with Chris and Marie. You've never seen two people more joined at the hip that these two. My wife never met them but I'd tell her of the laughter, the love and the camaraderie. You get a bit older and you realize how few things you really care about. But the things you hold dear, you hold close. Chris was more than just a guy who loved lifting and coaching. He was my friend. A like I said, one of the good ones.
