So, this isn’t a topic that I have delved too much into this year but I felt it was long overdue. Here goes.

Who was Nate? There are a ton of words you could use to describe him. I don’t think it does justice to try and use just a few adjectives though, so I won’t. He was a lot of things to a lot of people and in very different ways and I think that’s what made him – him.

I first met Nate back in 2012, shortly after I had moved into the condos on Queens Quay at one of my neighbours parties that I had been invited to. Nate was very welcoming, introduced himself and asked my name. I replied back with “Tyrell Nayquan”. The following statement from Nate would go down as my new nickname and the way that most people in Toronto got to know me from then on – White Tyrell. We had a good laugh, probably a shot or two, and from there our friendship was born.

I have to admit that the next string of encounters with Nate were mainly from partying around the city and didn’t get too personal at first. After months of getting to know my neighbours better, I also started to know Nate a little better (he might as well have been an honourary neighbour with how often he stayed over). We got along very well as we both loved hip-hop, comic books, and gaming. Let’s just say that a lot of our conversations would be categorized as “Extremely Nerdy” if anyone had been listening. Since then, our friendship grew where I was able to talk to him about a lot of personal things going on in my life, as did he. We were able to give advice, hear each others opinions, and form a friendship that went past just “party friends”.

Fast forward to 2015 – I had last seen Nate on NYE where we enjoyed plenty of drinks and laughs to ring in the new year. After that, we hadn’t talked too much other than the occasional conversation here or there as he had gone back to London for what he said would be his final term of promoting at Western. Sadly, that new years night would be the last time I’d see him and hear his infectious laugh.

I don’t think it’s important to get into what happened or why he isn’t here, but rather the impact he left; And boy did he leave an impact. After Nate’s passing, the outpour on social media was absolutely incredible. It was insane to see how many people from different cities, schools, and ages posting about the times they had with Nate. He hadn’t even cracked 30 and yet had touched so many different people in one way or another. This man left an incredible legacy that we will always remember…so what did I learn from Nate?

Hustle Hard – Set Goals And Work Towards Them: Nate was one of the hardest workers I have had the pleasure of meeting. He promoted at least 3x a week, managed a popular entertainment website (Lions Den U), and was working on an app (Receivr). If anything, Nate proved that hard work can pay off and to never lose sight of your goals.

Socialize – Always Be Willing To Meet New People: Like I mentioned previously, the amount of people he networked and had met through his life was incredible. Not only that, he was loved by everybody. His personality and charm made it very easy to get along with him and that’s what made him so special. His kindness and extroverted nature are inspiring and a constant reminder of what kind of impact we can all make if we do as he did.

Make The Best Of It – Whatever “It” Is To You: If anything Nate made the best of all the situations he was in, even in tough times. Also, after his passing, I saw the heartache and pain we were all going through and I think that’s what made it hurt even more. It’s very easy to say something like this rather than actually do it, but a lot of us still need to try harder. We don’t know how long we have or what we’ll be able to achieve before then, so we should always be striving for the best in whatever we do.

It’s honestly tough at times when I go to send Nate a text to see what he’s up to, to post a link/video on his wall, or to simply check his famous “Cooking with Nate” snap stories. I know that this happens to everybody who knew him, as we all shared something with him. What we need to do is smile when that happens. It’s easy to get down or sad in these circumstances but think of it like this: At least we’re reminded of him on a consistent basis. At least we had the chance to forge a bond with him that was deeper than just being an acquaintance. At least he mattered to us, and we to him. These are the moments  that ensure that he’s always with us.

Lastly – Thank you Nate for everything you’ve done for me. Thank you for introducing me to so many people. Thank you for being you. Thank you.