It is with great sadness that I report, that Gary Gygax, the original Dungeon Master, creator of Dungeons & Dragons, and founder of GenCon, has passed away. The story is circulating slowly across the Internet and blogosphere.

I had the honor at this past GenCon to bump into Gary on the convention floor, and have my picture taken with him. I thanked him for everything he had done. D&D was far more than a game for me. It was an escape during a very difficult time in my childhood, a time that I am not sure I would have endured if it had not been for the chance to escape into D&D, and think of fighters and wizards battling monsters for treasure and magical items.

In later years, RPG’s would be the common thread between my friends and I. We gamed all through middle and high school. To this day, nearly 20 years later, I am still friends with all my gaming buddies from high school, and when we can, we get together and game. When we can’t we, sit around and talk about all the games we played in the past.

Fourteen years ago, when I left college for grad school, once again, my love of Role Playing helped me to meet a new group of friends, who became my current gaming group. Over the years we have shared all sorts of adventures together, though Role Playing.

Most recently, I have been attending GenCon with my current gaming group, my high school friend, as well as both my Brother In Laws, and my 8 yr old Nephew. For us GenCon has been more than just a gaming convention, it is a time to bring friends and family together, and a time for us to instill the love of gaming and the sense of adventure into our children.

None of this would have been possible if not for the work and imagination of Gary Gygax.

Tonight I will roll my first d20 in silence….in honor of Gary.

Thanks again Gary….thanks for everything.