I received an e-mail yesterday with the sad news of Don LaFontaine's passing.
We are in the business of words, yet the right words seem hard to come by today.
Don had a way of touching lives. I had the great fortune of meeting Don last year in Las Vegas at the VOICE conference. My mother attended Don's panel with me, and took the photo above.
My mom, with no knowledge or real interest in voice over, left that panel saying she had an enormous respect for Mr. LaFontaine. He made us laugh, he made us want to know him better, he made us want to be a little more like him. Whether you loved him for his talent, or his ability to tell a great story...you loved him. Instantly.
After the panel, Don stayed long enough to take photos with every person in that room. He certainly didn't have to do this, and we would not have thought less of him for leaving. Yet, he stayed and shook every hand.
I am deeply saddened by Don's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with, and will continue to be with, Don's family and friends.
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5 comments:
You done a very generous thing, remembering here how kind Don was to you.
You won't know how and you won't know when but sometime someone in his family will scan the internet, come across your words and be happier for it.
Nicely done.
Best always,
- Peter
Kara,
Thank you for helping me remember more of that special day in 2007 when we both got to meet Don.
Peter is right. A day will come when someone close to Don will find what you've written and receive a blessing from it.
Be well,
Bob
Peter and Bob-
Thank you for your kind comments. I believe the true blessing here is the reminder that we work with an amazing community. Sure, there is competition- but ceratinly no competitors in voice over.
Kara
One of the things I'll always remember about Don LaFontaine was his incredible gift of inspiration. He has this infectious capacity to inspire you to be better than you were, to be like him.
The funny thing (at least to me) was that this was the last thing he wanted. He didn't want to inspire people to be like him, but to be what they had the potential to be.
That's the memory I'll always have of him.
Greg-
Thank you for your wonderful comments.
Kara
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