My remembrance of a great friend.
Kenny K was a great friend of mine and he will be missed terribly. We grew up together in MT and it took him a couple years before he could convince me to go climbing with him - changed my life forever. When we were younger (5th grade?) a number of people thought we were brothers since we looked alike, and were always together - skiing, biking, swiming and causing some trouble here and there. He visited me at UW in the mid 80s when he was on his way to climb Denali - he came back with harrowing stories about almost freezing to death but still having the time of his life. Kenny ended up in AK and I in CO. He would tell me to get my ass up there and go heli-skiing with him since he was volunteering as a tailgunner for a crew - "it's free!" he would tell me. Though we have kept in touch with a few (too few) phone calls and emails, the last time I saw Kenny in person was for one of our friend's funeral. Kenny was there - holding him in his arms as he was dying. Neither of us ever forgot our friend and always revisited our last big hiking trip through Glacier whenever we talked.
Now I will never forget you Kenny. You've left me with so many great memories that I can barely function right now as they race through my mind. Looking at your life from my point of view - you lived it to its fullest. I can still remember one of our last phone calls - said your wife still has the ass of a 12 year old - how you loved her and your kids more than anything - loved your job - loved AK...I wish I could see you again and give you a big hug. I will do anything and everything your family needs me to do and I know others will also. Later on brother man.
