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This is my second favorite photo Scott took, simply because instead of seeing him, we see him the way others saw him when they were being seen by him through a camera – which was a true honor. My first favorite is featured in “The Bet” and to see it and to know why, buy the damn DVD.

Today Scott Wizell would have been celebrating his 40th birthday. But he’s not celebrating it. Because he’s dead. He died in 2002 from a heart attack. Scott was one of those people. One who made a difference. I’m not sure how to explain this, but I’ll try. Scott was someone who reflected what I believed in and made it real. He was the one who recognized my interest in Joel-Peter Witkin’s photography and made it his passion, taking up photography as a hobby, then a career. Scott was someone who for a moment made me feel superior, then made me feel special. Scott was someone who, when he died, I felt it in my heart, hundreds of miles away, and knew someone special had been lost.

Scott was and still is someone whom I cry over not being able to call up and just shoot the shit.

And Scott is the reason I’m crying as I type this.

I miss you, man.

I hope you know how important you were in so many people’s lives.

I’m not crying because he died too young. I’m not crying because he could have done so much with his life. I’m not crying because his daughter misses him.

I’m crying because I need his unselfish smile and pat on the back and to pick on him for turning 40 before me and I miss him because I loved him.

And I’m crying because he, like Bobbi Cartwright, were taken to soon from a world where I needed them to much.

Scott, Heather and Sachi. The, I continue to believe regardless if I’m wrong, the perfect family.

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  • Thank you Michael for remembering Scott so sweetly. It’s hard to believe it’s been five years now… still doesn’t seem like enough time has passed to “get over it”. We are all so lucky to call you and your family our friends.