Dancing Fire has passed away

[MissGotRocks]

I have thought of him all day too. I felt certain that regardless of the reason for his absence, he would be back. In that vein, I think we all feel robbed somehow.
He loved to stir the pot and that did get him in trouble here from time to time. It did not negate the affection we had for this guy. It is hard to describe to non-forum participants how affected you can be from someone’s death that you never met in person, never shared a meal, never had a phone conversation with and yet - it hurts like you have lost a good friend.
While we knew of his deep devotion to his family, there was much we didn’t know about him. He was a master of dodging questions and down playing his life. According to him, we all had more money than he did and really should give it to him! Lol! While he could aggravate you to distraction, I always felt that he was a really good guy. He kept PS going many times when it got slow and could always make you smile in spite of himself.
Life is made richer by the people that cross our paths - in any form - and I think we all feel richer by having known him and deeply mourn his loss. It will take a long while to truly absorb this but we all have something to contribute to each other’s lives. We are joined first and foremost by our love of jewelry but it is clear that friendships develop that must be cherished - we are all just passing through this life. Hugs to all of you as we grieve this loss. I know that DF would make fun of us for being so soft - lol!

 

[carbonfan]

I am shocked to learn this, and my heart goes out to his family. I know we will all miss DF's quick wit and spirited rejoinders, and I am sure we will be quoting him often in the months and years to come. Rest in peace, Dancing Fire; you contributed greatly to this community, and you will truly be missed!

 

[kenny]

I thought this would be a fitting time & place to post this.
For many many years this is what DF "looked like" to all of us.
In his photo he looks different. LOL.

Oh, and what does that reaction score mean?

 

[MissGotRocks]

I thought this would be a fitting time & place to post this.
Oh, and what does that reaction score mean?

I love this Kenny - indeed very fitting and a nice tribute to mark his time here with us. Is the reaction score the number of times someone has liked your posts? I honestly don’t know what it is - that’s just a guess.

 

[KristyDarling]

I am so sorry to hear this terribly sad news. RIP, Dancing Fire. Thank you for letting us know, Wink.

 

[jeweln]

I am so shocked and saddened . life is so fragile .I had enjoyed DF's funny posts over the years . I will miss him .

 

[Dee*Jay]

This is the image of DF that I always carry!

Senior prom, 1970something.

There's also a picture of DF and his (I think now) wife in front of a white car that I can't find right now.

 

[kathley]

Such sad news! My condolences to his family.

 

[nala]

I keep wondering if he knew that it was coming. I keep wondering if he would have said good- bye to us. Did he stop posting bc he was on a time-out or did he fall ill? I guess deep down inside I’m wondering if we could have made his final days better for him.

 

[HS4S_2]

So saddened. I have been thinking of this loss all day. Just heartbreaking.

 

[Calliecake]

It’s comforting to know others have been thinking of him all day today too.

 

[Matata]

@MissGotRocks, thank you for your eloquent post. You articulated exactly all the thoughts that have been rattling around in my head for a day but I just couldn't get them organized enough to post here.

@nala, On Aug. 13 in one of the vaccine threads, DF mentioned that he had a heart scan that day and joked that he didn't know if a heart attack or covid would kill him first. Our experience with DF is that he was quite private about himself and that we know and don't know what he wanted us to know and not know. Unless the family chooses to communicate here, we won't know more and I'm sure we'll respect their decision.

 

[Decision_Decisions]

I'm so sad to hear this. I have lurked on PS for years before I started an account and he was always a constant presence. Such an important part of this community. My heart goes out to his family at this difficult time.

 

[MissGotRocks]

@MissGotRocks, thank you for your eloquent post. You articulated exactly all the thoughts that have been rattling around in my head for a day but I just couldn't get them organized enough to post here.

@nala, On Aug. 13 in one of the vaccine threads, DF mentioned that he had a heart scan that day and joked that he didn't know if a heart attack or covid would kill him first. Our experience with DF is that he was quite private about himself and that we know and don't know what he wanted us to know and not know. Unless the family chooses to communicate here, we won't know more and I'm sure we'll respect their decision.

I agree @Matata. I get the distinct vibe that either he didn’t want anyone to know there was an issue or his family is choosing to keep it to themselves. Either way it is their prerogative and we will probably never know what happened. I think it would be classic DF. I admit I am curious but knowing won’t change the outcome. In the final days of my life, I might feel the exact same way and would want my wishes respected too.

 

[Polished]

It was like a punch in the stomach coming on here this morning and reading that DF had died. Someone I'd never met and who didn't even live in the same country as I do. He was such a presence here. It's almost as though if someone had posted a thread, "What's pricescope to you" - an answer might have been "Dancing Fire!". There was the occasional thread where he said something that resulted in him being thoroughly rounded on. I'd be groaning at the screen: "just say nothing dude". He could have said nothing but that wouldn't have been DF the stirrer. And oftentimes it's the "Simple" (in the good sense of the word) guy (or gal) that you want - the one who wants to create a bit of fun, even if sometimes it misfires and the guy who's comfortable to be around because they don't appear to have hang ups.

Condolences to his family. Very glad he lived to see his grand children.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

PriceScope is more than a just community, I consider us a family. Any loss is difficult and the loss of a family member is especially painful.

In a positive light, I consider all of us fortunate that DF chose to spend so much time here helping the community, sharing his special sense of humor and enriching the PriceScope family.

This. I was so shocked last night that I couldn't even speak. As I read through all the posts just now, the tears just came. So many sweet tributes. Andrey has explained why we feel this loss so deeply. DF had been here since 2004 and I joined PS in Jan. 2006. I have many friends here and DF was among them. To lose one that added so much personality and humor to the forum is a great loss. But it's an even greater loss to lose a member of our PS family. He was just too young. I still can't believe it. My deepest sympathy to his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, and dearest grandchildren.

 

[Kim N]

I was very saddened to learn this news. PS won't be the same without Dancing Fire. My deepest sympathies to his family.

 

[jaysonsmom]

It has been 24 hours since I first learned of my PS friend's passing, and it still hard for me to process this knowledge, and I'm still choked up when I see this thread.

We both joined in 2004, and he has been my longest PS friend. We shared many fun stories and banter over the years, and even got "time outs" at the same time! I'm so sorry for your loss Mrs. DF and family. We are all grieving the loss of your beloved husband/father/grandfather!

 

[bright ice]

I’m so sad and truly at a loss of words to express myself. My heart sank deep within my chest when I read the news. Truly a gut punching sensation. My sincere condolences to his family.

@MissGotRocks you conveyed my sentiments so eloquently as you always seem to have the right words. Thank you!

 

[pinklemonadegurl]

I'm so sorry for his family's precious loss. His wit, intellect and 'fire' made him a delightful read anytime. He will be missed. God bless his family during this very difficult time.

 

[arkieb1]

While DF and I didn't always agree we always got along. I will remember him for his fast sense of humour, his witty sayings, the time he spent interacting with us all, the beautiful pictures and how incredibly proud he was of his family. I hope that we the PS community enriched his life as much as he enriched ours.

Farewell Peter Tam you will be sadly missed by so many people you have messaged and interacted with in our community.

This place will not be the same without you. XOXOXO

 

[stracci2000]

This is the image of DF that I always carry!

Senior prom, 1970something.

There's also a picture of DF and his (I think now) wife in front of a white car that I can't find right now.

 

[yssie]

I’ve held off on posting anything here until today because I didn’t know how to say what I want to say. @MissGotRocks said everything beautifully.

DF - to me he will always be DF - devoted eighteen years to PS. Eighteen years. Thirty four thousand posts. You don’t give that much of your time and that much of your effort to something you don’t love. DF loved this community.

So now, reading through today’s posts in this thread, I find myself wondering - did the Real World and PS merge for DF, the way they have for so many of us long-timers? Was he proud of his love for PS? Why did he give so much of himself here - what did he want to get from his participation?

I’m so sorry for what wife and daughters and grandchildren are going through. His family was his happiness. I wish them healing, and I hope that wherever he is - when he thinks about PS he feels contentment and fulfillment.

 

[DiaDiva]

I'm so saddened by this news.....I too thought he was just on another time out. Will miss you my PS friend!

Same here. So sad to read about his passing. We've been on PS together since 2004.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

It's been a day and I can't stop thinking about DF, one reason is I'm puzzled about something.
How can someone who was so often banned be so loved by so many in its community?
How could such a "naughty" person touch so many here at PS.

After all, I see PS as a community that mostly represents a certain half of America.
DF, in many ways, the other half.

Merriam-Webster defines sleeper as:
"Someone or something unpromising or unnoticed that suddenly attains prominence or value. Example: The low-budget film became the summer's sleeper"

I see DF as a sleeper.
He struck me as not aware that his life taight a much needed, and timely lesson, for a severely-divided America.

IOW I learned from DF that you don't have to be "woke" to be wonderful.

Kenny, i hope he knew how much he waas valued as a part of this community

 

[GliderPoss]

Sending my deepest condolences & thoughts to the Tam family. DF was a huge part of the PS family and will be greatly missed.

 

[dk168]

It wasn't that long ago that we thought he was on yet another time out for being naughty again!

So sad.

DK

 

[elle_71125]

My sincere condolences to the family. I hope you take great pride in knowing DF was so very loved by so many people. He was irreverent yet charming. He always knew what to say to get a rise out of people. He truly enjoyed being the voice of opposition and he did it with such flair that you just couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

I just know he’s keeping people on their toes, up there in heaven.

 

[missy]

Loss and grief is an inevitable part of the human experience.
Always leaving despair and sadness in its path.

We are better for having known Peter.
But that doesn't ease the loss.

I can only imagine the deep grief his family is going through.
Our hearts go out to them.

When Great Trees Fall​

When great trees fall,

rocks on distant hills shudder,

lions hunker down

in tall grasses,

and even elephants

lumber after safety.

When great trees fall

in forests,

small things recoil into silence,

their senses

eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,

the air around us becomes

light, rare, sterile.

We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,

see with

a hurtful clarity.

Our memory, suddenly sharpened,

examines,

gnaws on kind words

unsaid,

promised walks

never taken.

Great souls die and

our reality, bound to

them, takes leave of us.

Our souls,

dependent upon their

nurture,

now shrink, wizened.

Our minds, formed

and informed by their

radiance,
fall away.

We are not so much maddened

as reduced to the unutterable ignorance
of
dark, cold

caves.

And when great souls die,

after a period peace blooms,

slowly and always

irregularly. Spaces fill

with a kind of

soothing electric vibration.

Our senses, restored, never

to be the same, whisper to us.

They existed. They existed.

We can be. Be and be

better. For they existed.

― Maya Angelou

 

[Tekate]

Thank you to @missy for letting me know about DF's death. I sparred many a time with this great man, he had a great sense of humor, loved his family and like us all, a diamond lover. I will miss him always.