Gents,

First off, I'm sorry that this is not a trip report but in a way, passing away is sort of a trip, right?

Our fellow monger and good friend Hemp passed away Nov. 4, 2011 after losing his bout with cancer. I guess he got the last laugh on his doctors that said it would be his bad heart that would do him in (inside joke).

I first met Hemp on Ipanema beach in 2004 and I know many out here like Sandman and Bwana Dik met him many years before that. We had an instant friendship that over the years would eventually take us to the City of Eternal Spring "Medellin" and then back to our shared hometown where he died.

Hemp was a good friend and a great monger and will be missed by all those who knew this gentle giant of a man.

May he rest in peace.


Cheers and I'm sure Hemp would agree- Stay Horny My Friends!

*********21 Chica/Garota Salute*******

Cubanut

Met him and hung out with him quite a bit at my last Medellin trip. Had my last Thankgiving dinner with him and thankful that I did. He will be missed.

I met Hemp as he was walking back from a pharmacy back in 2003. The reason he was at the pharmacy that particular day will live on in infamy amongst the Rio mongers of that era, so as those who know the story will agree, a very weird time and place to meet someone.

I'll certainly miss Hemp.

Hemp was a gentleman. Always available to assist those in need, and a valuable member of this community.

He will indeed be missed.

I met Hemp perhaps six years ago (plus or minus a couple). He was sitting at the end of the bar at Solarium, with a blonde or two at his side. Someone introduced us to each other, and he was very friendly and easy to talk with.

Although that may have been the only time I met him, he did leave a very good and lasting impression, and yes, he will be missed here.

I am quite sad to hear about Hemp's passing. Many people have come and gone in Rio but Hemp and I were living there the entire time. We were living the dream. So when everyone had gone back to the US, it was just me and him many times. We were an unlikely pair but we were always friends.
During his last days, I called him Hemp often and we would talk for hours. We remembered all the good times, and particularly that the dollar was 3:1. Those were the glory days, and Hemp took advantage of that unique period of time more than anyone I know. The most special thing about Hemp is that he followed his heart.

Speaking of which. Despite all of the blondes and Hempy's friends, there was one special girl in Hemp's life that he met in Rio. Before he travelled back to the US, in Colombia, Hemp was able to meet her one last time and in front of a priest, the two were married. Like I said the guy followed his heart to the very end.

I used to tease Hemp because the girls would call him Beew which is how they pronounced his name. So last thing I want to say is I miss you Beew.

Yes, Hemp will be missed. He had a big heart and was always willing to help out anyone in need. I can't count the number of afternoons in 4X4 and evenings in L I spent with him.

Hemp was the source of many of my favoritas. I used to drive him crazy because if Hemp hooked up with a cutie at 4X4, I would invite her to come spend the weekend with me. Poor Hemp couldn't communicate well enough to counter my invitations. His piss-poor Portuguese (and later Spanish) was legendary. We would torment each other about stealing favoritas, but it was always in good fun--although the last time I saw him, a few months back, he told he was still pissed that I'd stolen Gleice away from him and gotten an autographed copy of her Playboy spread.

The last visit with Hemp was a bittersweet one. He did not yet realize he had cancer, but his health had not been good, and he'd pretty much stopped going out of his apartment in MDE. We had a really nice visit, and swapped stories--true ones and a few that might have been exaggerated a bit--for a few hours over steaks and salad (along with Sandman). I talked Hemp into coming to the 4th of July party at the Mansion, and he did come. He had a good time, and it was clear that lots of the girls were fond of him. Despite his near total inability to communicate with them in Spanish, he seemed to be able to charm them.

That was the last time I saw Hemp. He was smiling and in his element, surrounding by hot chicas. That's the way I will always remember Bill.