In Loving Memory

Yesterday we received the following email:

“Dear Andang and friends,

The woman I have dearly loved for the last 12 years suddenly passed away on May 1, 2015. In her memory, I have posted a video valentine I created in 2011 using screenshots of us in LOTRO, which we spent countless joyous hours playing, along with music from the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit. I’m no Glenn Yarbrough, but I sang my best for Deborah, and I hope the video conveys our profound love for each other. You can watch it here:

As you can see, Deborah mostly played Hobbits and I played Men. In all those years, talking and playing three hours together every night, we never once traveled the 2,000 miles separating us to meet in real life. (It was impractical for numerous reasons.) Yet surely many couples living together never experience the kind of happiness we shared in our adventures and explorations.

I would be deeply grateful if you would share this video with your followers. I want the world to appreciate that online loves are real and meaningful, and to know of my beloved Deborah—that she lived and breathed and mattered. I also want to hear stories of the online loves of the LOTRO Players podcasters; surely you have some beautiful tales of your own.

Heartfelt thanks for LOTRO Players and all that you and your friends do there. Your podcasts are like Edhelharn Tokens, driving back the darkness while I listen.

Gratefully yours,

Blake Linton Wilfong

aka Grimstark (100 Guardian) and Corbet (87 LM) of Light of Earendil on Windfola”