IN MEMORY OF DENNIS RUEL: ONE OF THE BEST HUMANS TO EVER LIVE
Dennis Ruel just passed away. He went to sleep and didn't wake up. I don't know what to say.
I've been trying to write something about how great he is and how much I love him. I can't seem to put any words down without breaking down and just having to sit and feel this immense loss of such a beautiful and powerful person.
Dennis is more than just a friend to me; he is a huge reason I am who I am and I am how I am. He is immortalized in more than his films and art. He taught children and adults and held space for so many people to grow. The most powerful memory of him for me is none of that, though. It's the thing that can never pass on. I will always remember and cherish the energy and feeling that I get when I think of him, his voice, his name, and his being.
We always remember the way that people made us feel.
As a choir of angels is singing, "HEEYOOOHHH!!!" as Dennis enters an eternal paradise.
That is his immortality and legacy that has rippled out to so many people. He put the most positive energy into the universe, and people carried that energy into theirs. You didn't want to be a better person when he was around; you were actually a better person.
Here is a talk we did when some of the Stunt People came by the Open Matt Dojo. If you ever trained with me or came to the Hapkido Institute for earlier classes before the Open Matt, you know him, and you loved him. When he walked into the room, you would notice that the room had changed. There was no question how much light Dennis walked with, and being able to constantly tell him how great he is to me and the world was always a pleasure. The best spirits walk with a lot of self-doubt. It can be painful to have his level of integrity and passion, he worked so hard and had a genius that was pointed toward supporting his community and making art with the people he cared about the most.
If you love your friends, tell them. Every single person in this talk is a soul mate. We were missing some very important members of The Stunt People, but they were out in the world making it better, more supportive, and positive.
In this talk, we mention a few things, and here are those links:
Great Stunt People Movies
You can take Gio's acting workshop here
Hope you enjoy this talk, and tell your friends you love them.
