There’s very sad news for the blogosphere in the latest (and no doubt last) post on David Heidelberg’s blog, posted on Monday night:
I wish to advise that David passed away last night after a long illness.
Thanks to all who have sent their condolences… Your sentiments have been so helpful during this difficult time.
Linda
Although I never met David, I had a strong sense of his humanity, compassion, wit and intelligence from his regular comments here at LP and on other blogs. David was commenting here as recently as Thursday last week. Online personas come and go, but it’s awfully sad to think that not only will we not be seeing him in the comments threads again, but also that a valuable and lovable human life is no more.
The thoughts of the LP Collective are with David’s loved ones. We will miss him, and we know those who knew him face to face will miss him terribly.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion,
et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem:
exaudi orationem meam,
ad te omnis caro veniet.
Also: Guy pays tribute at Polemica, as does David Tiley at Barista.
What a nice post, Mark. ( you’re such a nice web person).
The terrible thing about these machines we use to communicate is we lose the human touch.
I’m sure everything you said about David is true.
Thanks, Joe, for your gracious and touching words. Hopefully one thing that we do try not to lose sight of in this weird and wonderful sphere of interaction that we all enjoy is our common humanity.
This is very sad news.
He often brought a particularly human touch to comment threads that can be anything but.
Just saw this very sad post.
Rest in peace, David H. You and your loved ones will be remembered in Masses in some very distant places.
Yes, indeed, j_p_z, and in some closer places as well. I’ll be having a word to my friends the Jesuit Fathers at St Lucia to offer a mass for the repose of his soul.
This is solemn news and certainly shocking given that David was able to keep blogging away until so very near the end. David must have had a great ticker. The gentle little bloke with the question mark on his nose will be sadly missed.
Rest in Peace, David.
Peace to his family.
I am remembering some important words and will abbreviate and paraphrase.
On that day, many will say, when did we see you alone, hungry or in jail? When did I do something for you? When did I say or do anything?
He’ll say, When you did it for them, you it for me.
Peace out, David.
Sad news indeed. His comments and his eel-on-the-nose gravatar will be missed, and most of all David will be missed.
That’s truly sad news.
I’m very sorry to hear this news. And it’s made me think hard about flaming and stoushes and even just ordinary old online incivility: most of us haven’t a clue what sorts of lives most of the rest of us are living. Next time I’m banging out some indignant post or other, I’ll think twice before I send it.
That’s an excellent resolution which I will attempt to hold to as well, PC.
I too will miss David’s contributions.
Yes, PC. This is very sad news.
Rest in peace, gentle moustachiod one.
David often copped it pretty badly from certain trolls, and yet he continued to participate in online life in a genuine and engaged manner.
I had “engaged” DH quite a few times over at EP’s and elsewhere. I think we kept it civil for the most part, and it is sad to see him leave us. Is Linda his wife? If so, my condolences to her.
“And it’s made me think hard about flaming and stoushes and even just ordinary old online incivility…”
Let me put it this way - perhaps some of the greatest “stoushes” in Australia’s history would be the long war between Sir Robert Menzies and Arthur Calwell. All sorts of wild accusations and hysterical hyperbole were known to fly across the aisle. It was a rather tense period domestically. But the thing is, much of it was pure bluster, and the protagonists knew as much - and it didn’t stop Menzies, by then a virtual cripple, weeping uncontrollably outside his old foe’s funeral.
Rest in peace David. I will miss your sense of humour, wit, and human touch.
Requiescat in pace David, I loved your sense of humour.
Condolences to his friends and loved ones.
Having a drink for you now David. You were a big part of the colour and movement that made local blogging the lively place it is. I’m sure you’re already logged on and commenting away whereever you are now.
A touching post Mark.
I didn’t get to know you David as I’ve only just started posting on LP, but peace be to you, whever you are.
Condolences to David’s family and friends. It took some courage to keep going to the end.
The last time I interacted with David (actually the only time now that I think about it) was at that controversial post Kim did which brought out the wowsers, where David made a cheeky point which I seconded. I’ll remember him for that - and there are worse things to be remembered by than an impish sense of humour.
So vale to David and condolences to his family.
I’m just back from my holiday. How horribly sad!
You’re quite right, Jason, I remember that too. And I swapped emails with David about that post, and I do also recall that he was saying I was his blog crush. Only a couple of weeks ago.
He was indeed a lively and lovely person.
Requiescat in pace.
He was 35, you realise.
Death is the price of life, and we all pay it, and understanding that is one of the great journeys of life, and we defy death with how we live and what we build and how we love.. and so on. All true thoughts.
But a life cut short so early… that is just so sad.
Just. So. Sad.
Unfortunately, a long comment was posted on this thread, in response to one by Liam, which sought to turn discussion towards criticisms of bloggers and particular aspects of commenting and blogging. Responses were then moderated inconsistently, for which I apologise. I’ve now deleted all the comments from the first one. I don’t believe that such metablogging discussions have any place on this thread, and nor do abuse and stoushing, and I’d ask people to stick to the subject and spirit with which it deals.
I apologise as well. I was quite dumbfounded by that comment you mention, Mark, and didn’t know how to react appropriately so the moderation may indeed have been inadequate. I also endorse the sentiment in your last sentence.
I’m glad you scrubbed all that before I read it, Mark. Excellent post on a very sad occasion. It’s always hard when a man with so much to give is cut off in his prime.
Rest in peace David. I didn’t often agree with David’s opinions but often he’d make me smile or laugh with his cheeky wit. He was a man with a big and a good heart, sometimes worn on his sleeve.
My condolences to his family and friends.
Indeed, Brian. Thirty-freakin’-five. It ain’t right, is what I’m saying. It just ain’t right.
[Admin note: Offensive comment deleted]
And if his family ever googles his name and reads (as someone surely will) you have added to the pain. Way to go, Captain.
Captain,
You’re a disgusting human being…I’ve read your hateful diatribes before, and I suggest that you are a greatly disturbed individual. I also recall reading that you’re a psychiatrist. All I can say is that if there is a god, I hope he helps your patients.
Incidentally, David suffered from depression, but did not suicide…Words fail me- How dare you.
Captain, you owe Linda and her family an apology.
Captain, in a week in which I’ve seriously considered whether there is actually much point in engaging in blogging, your comment - which is surely the most gratuitously offensive offering I’ve seen in a while - has just about resolved it for me.
Why would someone consciously decide to be as hateful as it’s possible to be for no other reason than…he can?
Just to help wash off a bit of the ugliness that has lately crept onto this thread, I wish to simply remind David’s loved ones that in the coming weeks, he will be remembered in Masses and prayers for the repose of his soul in Texas, Oregon, California, and the State of New York.
I’ve deleted that last comment by Mike Jericho, j_p_z. People can take their internecine blog sniping elsewhere than this thread.
Farewell David, I didn’t really know you, but you were part of what made LP a blog worth reading.
This thread is for David and his memory. Love to him, his family, and everyone reading.