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Rest In Awesome, a private person

2010-08-27 · John, a private person · watch on YouTube · Nerdfighteria · reflection essay

John remembers a private person, who died aged 16: her character and place in Nerdfighteria, his belief in standing still with grief and bearing witness rather than rushing to a silver lining, an ask to give to the Friends of Esther Fund, and a closing clip of her saying family is important.

What is said

00:00:00 — a private person has died aged 16: her friendships in Nerdfighteria, the scrapbook, her character, a Formspring answer and a tweet

  • ★ The description says a private person helped run the Eff Yeah Nerdfighters Tumblr site. — 00:00:00
  • ★★★ John reports that a private person, the Nerdfighter who inspired many of Nerdfighteria's recent worldsuck-decreasing projects, died earlier this week, aged 16. — 00:00:01 · Nerdfighteria, world suck
  • ★★ a private person was a great friend to many in Nerdfighteria and to John; the community was a huge part of her life, her best friends were Nerdfighters, who gave her a scrapbook from hundreds of them. — 00:00:09 · Nerdfighteria
  • ★★★ John describes a private person as an amazing kid, astonishingly empathetic, thoughtful and very funny, but not an angel or a model of perfection: a person, a teenager. — 00:00:33
  • ★ As examples John cites a private person's playful Formspring answer about naming her butt cheeks and a contemplative tweet about words going into her brain. — 00:00:46 · Twitter

00:01:02 — The HPA win with a private person, Esther Day's 'I love you', and continuing projects with her

  • ★★ John says that with a private person the Nerdfighter community came together and helped the Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000. — 00:01:02 · Nerdfighteria, The Harry Potter Alliance
  • ★★ John says it was because of a private person that on Esther Day he told Hank he loves him, which he does, though he doesn't want to talk about it. — 00:01:08 · Hank Green
  • ★★★ John says the community will continue to do projects with a private person: she will be with them most when they work to decrease worldsuck and show love for others. — 00:01:14 · world suck

00:01:24 — Chaplaincy lesson 'don't just do something, stand there': bearing witness to grief; a private person's belief that the dead live on

  • ★★ Before writing books John worked as a chaplain at a children's hospital, where his supervisor told him: don't just do something, stand there. — 00:01:24
  • ★★★ John argues that rather than rushing to mitigate loss or find a silver lining, there is real value in standing still, being sad, bearing witness to a private person's life and being transformed by it. — 00:01:35
  • ★★ John recounts that when he saw a private person in Boston a couple of months ago she said she believes the dead live on in the memory and lives of those they touched. — 00:01:52 · Boston

00:02:01 — Ask to give to the Friends of Esther Fund; links to a private person's Twitter, YouTube and vlogs

  • ★★★ John asks those so inclined to give to the Friends of Esther Fund, which goes directly to her family for expenses incurred during her care; link in the doobly-doo. — 00:02:01 · doobly-doo
  • ★★ John links a private person's Twitter and YouTube accounts; she vlogged through much of the last month and her vlogs are hilarious, charming and very touching. — 00:02:14 · Twitter, YouTube

00:02:24 — Schedule (normal videos Monday, punishment Wednesday), thanks for the birthday video, 'This Star Won't Go Out'; sign-off

  • ★★ John says vlogbrothers videos will look vlogbrother-y again from Monday and he will do his punishment on Wednesday. — 00:02:24 · Vlogbrothers, Punishment
  • ★ John thanks everyone who took part in the birthday video. — 00:02:29
  • ★★★ a private person means 'star', and her friends printed a bracelet reading 'This Star Won't Go Out'; John says it won't: we won't let it. — 00:02:40 > «This Star Won't Go Out.»

00:02:50 — Coda: a private person's answer to 'what would you tell your younger self?'; 'a private person, my friend, godspeed'

  • ★★ John tells a story: answering questions written on a soccer ball, a private person was asked what she would tell her younger self, and her answer is a nice reminder to everyone. — 00:02:50
  • ★★ In the clip a private person says she might tell her younger self that family is important. (hedged) — 00:03:07

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