Messages of Condolence for Bandecoot's Family

[Teallaura]

This thread is specifically for messages to the family of Mr. Andrew Bentley, whom we all knew as Bandecoot. It will be forwarded to the family when complete.



Note: This thread is very strictly non-debate and any post deemed inappropriate will be deleted.

[Teallaura]

Hi,

I don't really know what to say, but he meant a lot to us and we really miss him. I know that doesn't compare to your loss but I just wanted to let you know.

Stupid hug smilies really don't do the job, but it's all I can do for now.

[Crow]

I am sorry for your loss.

He was a wonderful guy, and loved by many.

He is sadly missed.

[Brandalf85]

Hello,

Bandecoot was a great person to talk to and know. He'd provide laughs and smiles to everyone he talked to, whether he agreed with them or not. His humor and personality will be missed by all he knew.

I'm sorry for your loss.

[Soundsurfr]

To the family of Bandecoot (Andrew) -

Our sincerest condolences on your loss. We will miss him.

Soundsurfr

[Gabby]

Andrew touched a lot of hearts here in our Tweb community. He will be sadly missed. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Chris (gabbailey)

[Johnny MacManky]

We shared a similar wicked and dark sense of humour. He was the master, and in the short while I knew him, it was a privilege to witness a few of his fine moments. We shared a fondness for Scottish malt whisky, in particular Laphroaig. We often shared a virtual glass (or two). On Paltalk, he always greeted me as "ya manky Scots git", which was as fine a term of endearment as I could have wished for. I gather we also had a similar sense of fashion!

I cannot begin to comprehend your loss, but for all of us here at Tweb, it's as if one of the pillars has been removed. A dear friend has been taken and I miss him terribly.

With love and deepest sympathy,

John (Glasgow, Scotland)

[mossrose]

Andrew was a fixture here at Tweb. All of us who have gotten to know him, even a little bit, will miss him more than we can express.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you go through these difficult days.

Patricia

Alberta, Canada

[Sparko]

As you probably know, Andrew touched the lives of people all over the world. We all loved him. I am from the USA (Kentucky) and he was a dear friend even though we never met in person. We used to chat online in Pal Talk every weekend. He used to love to tease me about the silly little numa numa video I made and my hillbilly accent. He brought the chat room to life with his humor and personality. I will miss him so much. I send my prayers out for you, his family.

Sparko, his hillbilly pirate buddy.

[JardinPrayer]

I'm known at TheologyWeb and PalTalk as "Jardin," pronounced phonetically because so few seemed to be able to manage the French or even realized what the word was. Andrew always seemed to be in the PalTalk room when I arrived and could be counted on to greet me with the proper pronounciation - Szhar-dahn - with a relish that gave away much more than his intellect. I experienced him as fiercely mischievious...showing off his considerable knowledge not so much for boastful purposes but for the sheer joy of rubbing the noses of others in the dust at his feet (in an utterly lovable fashion). Andrew teased, educated, sang, laughed, and somehow managed to make this Christian forget he was an atheist - even as he was clearly articulating the words, "There is no God." There was so much love in his heart and so much respect for those of us he seemed to believe were misguided in our faith, I am want to believe there may have been more going on there than met the eye.

I lost 4 family members in 2004...a year that I sometimes thought I would never recover from. Three of those losses were sudden and unexpected, so I believe I can claim I may have some notion what you are now enduring. Andrew offered me some well-placed and well-phrased words of condolence and encouragement during that time. How I wish I could remember them clearly enough to offer them back to you now.

I pray you find some comfort in the knowledge that Andrew's life touched many he never met...some of us finding out later than we would prefer just how remarkable an individual this man was. Many tears have been shed as this news reaches our online community. Mine are not yet spent.

Andrew once spent months trying to figure out how to mail me a bottle of Portuguese wine he raved about in exchange for a special book I'd had inscribed and sent to him. US customs law would not allow him to honor his half of this arrangement and I know it irked him. When the dust settles, I would like to know the name of that wine so I can find it for myself, raise a glass in his memory, and close the deal my way. You may email me at jardinprayer@gmail.com if you wish.

I will pray for God's comfort and covering for you. Thank you for sharing Andrew with us.

Lynn
Jacksonville, Florida (USA)

[norwegen]

I interacted with him maybe once or twice, but read enough of his messages otherwise to know that, indeed, he was a memorable fellow.

Don

[DesertBerean]

I'm a fairly recent member of TWeb, but I know he had a distinctive, clear style of writing and I enjoyed reading his posts. The topic of cooking was especially fun to peruse.

Praying for your comfort during this difficult time.

Colleen
Barstow, California, USA

[Alien]

I can't improve on what others have said. He was a great guy and I was privileged to know him.

My deepest sympathy goes out to his family and friends.

Rest in peace, Andrew. The world is a poorer place for your passing.

Tony
(ex-pat Brit, currently living in Denver, Colorado, USA)

[Xmansmommy]

Dearest Kara ,

My deepest and heartfelt sympathies go out to you and your family as you have lost such a special loved one as Andrew. As many have already expressed, he touched the lives of so many of us here on TWeb. My earliest memories of Andrew were of encouraging him to join TWeb and to yodel. His response was that it was an abomination to yodel. I remember many times after the TWeb room would close, he would open his room on Paltalk and invite all of us in. On many occasion he would play his funky music and everyone would listen and chat in text. He was always so kind, witty and funny. He always said it was my fault that he joined TWeb because I badgered him into joining.

I've shed quite a few tears since I heard because I will truly miss him. And while he touched so many of us via the internet, I can only imagine your pain is all the more. May you find comfort during this difficult time and if there is anything any of us can do to help in any way, please let us know. May he live on in our hearts in all the many ways he touched each of us. For me, I will always think of him when I hear a yodel. Despite his aversion to it, I know he enjoyed our fruitless efforts to get him to do it also.


Our prayers are with you.

Sincerely,
Linda

[Dee Dee Warren]

I am not great at writing stuff like this, but I cared for Bande very dearly. I was in utter shock the morning I got the news to the point where I couldn't stop shaking. I know we never met personally, but it was like losing one of my good friends. He was always there on Paltalk, and always just a great guy despite the vast differences in belief. While he didn't hesitate to speak his mind, he showed great respect and fairness to another point of view that was intelligently expressed. He was a great deal of fun. When we started this forum, we wanted to forge REAL relationships between believers and nonbelievers, not phoney or plastic gestures, and Bande was real. He always had something to share on various topics.

I remember one night we were talking, and I told him that I was watching a special on concrete, and I found an interest in the history of concrete. Everything thought I was kidding, but me and bande chatted for long periods of time on the history of Roman concrete. When I told him I was looking for art for my guest bathroom, he introduced me to the art of Waterhouse, and I am very grateful for that. I have a print of the Circe Invidiosa in my bathroom because of Bande. I think he would find it amusing now whenever I go into that bathroom I think of him!

I can still him making jokes about Xena's "leather knickers" and we would argue about that, and he would be saying, "Play the Xena song." I am going to miss him. It truly says something about his endearing qualities that a group of (some would say) fundamentalist Christians were so deeply fond of him and are in great grief at our loss.

I hope this gives some comfort or joy in reading how literally all over the globe, Bande had friends and those that cared for him, accepting him in all his differences from most of us, and he accepting of us in the same way.