Adios!... to a friend I never "met"

I have lived a sort of 'virtual' / parallel existence for almost a decade and half now (being an early convert to the Net) - in a virtual reality, where I have met and made friends with many wonderful souls, with whom I keep interacting, learning and sharing - but whom I have never met (and will perhaps never meet).

Most of them appear to be there for years to come... so, when this news about the departure of an e-friend (and an alumnus of the institute which has sheltered me for more than 2 decade) came this morning - it sort of shook up the sure, secure world... virtual friends, people you never met, but were part of the journey, too move on!!

The mail said:

"The end was quick; his heart just stopped. And he moved on..."

Yes, that had to happen!!... in a way, one knew it coming. He was suffering from multiple sclerosis... Out of the blue, a couple of years back he had called me up (that was my sole encounter with him in the 'real' world), had shared what he was going through - and that no! this is not "life-threatening" - that he will pull through... (one believed him then)

A few months back, a common friend had posted about his organs failing... and about doctors taking a decision to keep or pull-back the life support systems...

***
We had never met in person, but were co-conspirators when I was trying to build the alumni network on yahoogroups (that was back in 99-01), and he was among the first ones to become the co-moderator for his batch group... together we, mostly him, dug out MIAs, and got them into the group (many of his batch-mates, connected as they are today, perhaps would recall that great act of bringing all together)... Off and on, we had exchanged mails, as he moved from Chennai to Dubai and then back...

I carry an image of him as person who was full of life, could reach out, connect, and give.... though, I don't even know what he looked like...

His departure kept echoing in my mind today...
...and so I thought the least I can do to celebrate the life of this person whose path inadvertently crossed mine, is to scribble down these random memories...

Good bye, Bharath 'Brat' Chandran!!