9 thoughts on “A year ago today …”

  1. You never know the impact you have on others, especially when you think it is such a small thing. Bill’s responses to my comments and feedback on ideas, though few, were a huge help and encouragement into my personal development into an ICS training expert. Thanks to Kelly for keeping the torch flame going and to everyone who exhibits Bill’s passion by sharing information, encouraging others, and attempting to make the world a better place. What you pass on to others today builds upon Bill’s legacy and adds to our collective understanding and improvement.

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    1. … I still think about Bill every damn day, no matter what.
      It would have been pretty easy, really, to just give up on you guys and walk away several times in the last year-plus (I mean seriously). I’m supposed to be retired here and did not anticipate the workload and time I was taking on when I promised Bill I’d do it. I had earlier in the spring turned him down, but he just thought he was sick. Neither of us knew then that he was dying. But in the fall of 2022 he was dying of pancreatic cancer and we both knew it.

      I still do not regret that decision — but maybe some of you loyal GabbertFans can just lighten up a bit and try suggestions to this semi-retired grandmother rather than kicking me here in the comments (AND MY EMAIL!) when I fail to live up to Gabbert’s well-earned and stellar reputation. Kicking me doesn’t help anyone, which Bill referenced QUITE clearly in his rules for comments on his websites.

      And yeah, I know, it’s the IAWF’s websites now. I’ll always think of them as Bill’s.

      Looking for something else from my daughter on my phone today, I stumbled over my last saved voicemail message from Bill Gabbert, from December 2022. He was calling me from his hospital bed and hoping I’d help him with the “last messages” on what he called the “transition” from Gabbert to the IAWF. I listened to that voicemail three times today.

      I apologize to you long-term fans of his that I’m not Bill Gabbert. He and I worked together and were friends for 20+ years … I know he would have cloned himself into me if he could, but ya know what? We couldn’t figure out how to do it.

      ~ Kelly Andersson

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