Letting Leif go.

[bbadmin]

Hey Everyone,

Leif's journey through this life comes to an end tonight. We are letting his body go this evening, July 8th, 2011, at 8pm Beijing time. Please keep Leif in your thoughts and prayers as he makes the transition from this life to the next. Thank you to all for your friendship, love, and support throughout his life and especially now as his life on this world ends. We will update the forum with funeral details once arraignments have been made. In the mean time I've opened a new forum for memorial planning wherever you may be. Thank you all.

Love,

Lance Stringham

[robamaz]

Dear Chuck, Renee, Lars, Lief and Lance:

You are all in my heart now and always. Somehow today I have been put in touch with you after so many, many moons, so many journeys. A candle will burn this evening in our tiny miner's cottage down deep in the plains of Australia's East Gippsland. Comfort, peace and solace be with you.

Special Love to Each of You,

rob schmeer

[caricia]

Hello family and friends,

Anthony, Jett, and I just got the news and we feel an immense sense of relief that Leif's body will be released and his spirit set free. Also, this brings on the next big era of sadness, now that he is really gone and we can acknowledge that this enormous thing happened. For Leif, he is on to the next big adventure. For the rest of us, we will have to learn to live in a world without the sound of his voice. As we laugh and cry about our memories, I will (honestly) miss his super-phlegminess and (highly rare among Stringhams) physical grace. When we were in gymnastics together as kids, he made back handsprings look like an obvious poetry of movement and high dives into the pool like a natural birthright.

We will light a candle for him here, in Rome, in our apartment off ancient cobblestone streets, above countless fragrant osterias and restaurants. We hold vigil together with all of you, around the world.

Love,
Caricia, Anthony, & Jett

[philklaboe]

Goodbye for now brother....... We will see each other again somewhere on the road along the way .

Phil

[joecichosz]

Godspeed my friend. Tonight I will raise a glass to you as you would have wanted it. I already miss you, and you will always be a part of my life xiongdi.
Joe

[Moon]

Thanks Joe,

You are his real xiongdi too. I'm grateful for Leif has a xiongdi like you, even better than natural. I am sorry I finished his life by myslef and still made many people thought I've been tormentching his body in such long time...

I hope you can understand my real feeling because you are an American who also knew me and Chinese cultrue.

Much Love, Moon

[joecichosz]

Dear Moon,
Of course I understand and I am sure that Leif knew you were with him the entire time. I really hope that you don't blame yourself. Leif would not have wanted that. Please take care and I will talk to you soon. Be strong.
Love,
Joe

[thalo]

Every leaf serves it's purpose to the life of a tree and when it's work is done it is released. It gracefully makes it's way to the ground and offers itself to the soil where it feeds the roots of life. Leif is a Leif and in fact a leaf as well, and his spirit is food for our soil. My roots are richer than they were and every time the wind blows I can here Leif singing through the leaves. Every time I smile at nature he smiles back. in fact there are so many things I do that make me think of him, so I stopped for a second and did not think.... But Leif was still there, he is not in our minds but in our souls. Our relationships with him are not gone they are just different. For all the inspiration he offered in his life his spirit will exceed in his death. I love you all and I love you Leif.
Thalo
Ps, pitch a tent and start a fire so we can all gather round it when we get there
-One-