Wendy, I am truly sorry for your loss.

[Guitarist est. 1971]

Wendy --

After first learning of Ronnie's illness, I wrote a very lengthy post about the impact he's had on my life. I believe it was entitled "What Ronnie James Dio means to me." Hopefully, you and him had a chance to read it. If not, I totally understand given all that you were going through and continue to go through in light of his passing.

That said, I want to express my deepest sympathy for you and your family. Losing a loved one is so hard, and I can only imagine how hard it must be to lose not only a spouse, but a significant other of Ronnie's caliber. While I never had the opportunity to meet him, I've read and watched so many interviews since the '80s that I can say without doubt that he truly was a magnificent human being, even if one were to take his music out of the mix.

I don't know how many times I found myself saying a silent prayer for Ronnie over the last several months. I was genuinely concerned like all of his true fans and made it a point to check this site on a daily basis to see if there were any updates on his condition. When I saw that he had passed away, I felt like a part of me died as well. And I truly mean that, because his music has served -- and will continue to serve -- as the soundtrack of my life.

Every day when I practice guitar, I do a quick run through of all of my favorite Dio riffs as a warm-up. Nine times out of 10, there is a Dio-related CD playing in the background as I drive. And every time I can convince my wife to not put in a movie at bedtime, one of my Dio DVDs plays into the night, carrying us off to sleep. So, Ronnie truly is a special part of my life -- my daily life, at that.

And what makes Ronnie so magical is the fact that his body of work and the impact he's made as a human being transcend death, in essence giving him eternal life on Earth as his spirit soars elsewhere forever more. So, I pray that you have the strength to carry on and the determination to celebrate his life. Ronnie was the champion of the downtrodden, and heroes never die.

God bless you and your family. And God bless Ronnie James Dio.