Don't worry about it.

Today I'm going to stray from the typical posts I do on this blog.

On Wednesday night I found that a friend had been found dead after being declared a missing person in the Chicago area on Tuesday.

I don't want to talk about the details of his death, but really want to use this space to discuss the triumphs of his life. I first met Jay through a mutual friend: his roommate. He knew me as the girl who wanted to shave his friend's beard for a movie we were filming that week and quickly let me know what he thought about it. When we were introduced he immediatley announced to me: "IT'S BEARD-GROWING SEASON. YOU CANNOT SHAVE THIS" as he slowly stroked my friend's face.

I remember thinking to myself: "Who IS this guy?!"

Jay would walk into a room and demand your attention just because of the energy he carried with him. It really didn't matter how bad of a day I was having, he was the one person who I would see and instantly smile. Jay was hilarious and had a humor that was so rare, honest, and witty. After meeting him, I immediately took notice that his most used phrase was "Don't worry about it" and was a response he used in almost any semi-stressful situation. I used to think it was just a funny quirk about his personality, but now, looking back on my relationship with him, it really embodied his entire outlook on life. He was open-minded, accepting, and saw life as one big opportunity to meet new people, have fun, and express ourselves creatively. I have a natural tendency to be a fast-paced, stressed out type of person, but Jay was always someone who inspired me to sit back, take my time, smile, and enjoy the ride.

I had never met anyone like Jay before being introduced to him this year and I know that I will never meet another person like him ever again...this one's for you, Jay.