RIP Daan Buckinx

[cacheborn]

Just learnt that Daan Buckinx passed away. He had been a great inspiration, always cheering on. Never had the chance to meet him face to face, but he cheered me up over Facebook when I was feeling down, even though he was going thorough a lot of pain himself.

Rest in peace, dear friend.

[Savage]

I just learned about this an hour ago.

For those who didn't know him, Daan was a long-time member of this community (handle Dukie) and an alumni of CGW #1 and #5. He went dressed as Dr. Evil for CGW #5, so some people may remember seeing him there. He'd been struggling with cancer since late 2009 or early 2010 and had gone through multiple rounds of chemo which proved ineffective, so his passing wouldn't likely be a big surprise to those who knew him.

Last time I saw him was in Nov 2010, when about a dozen of us from CGW #5 went ziplining downtown. Daan actually got stuck partway down the line and had to be retrieved by one of the staff. He took it in good strides though.

That same day I remember how he demonstrated that he could get lots of spontaneous hugs just by smiling and putting his arms out when people walked past him. It worked about 50% of the time, and he brightened many people's days. He shared a lot of love with people during his life.

Daan also contributed the story for this blog post:
Speedhugging: How to Go From Zero to Hugs in Under 60 Seconds

Daan joined the very first week they launched, so he was a member here for nearly 5 years. He didn't post often, but I know he especially enjoyed connecting with many CGWers. He last visited the forums just 6 days ago. He was 29 years old.

I will surely miss him, although I expect he'll soon be busy sharing hugs in some other dimension.

Daan's blog (Dutch) can be found here: Groeien Voor Beginners ? Durven, mislukken, groeien

And his Facebook page here: Daan Buckinx | Facebook

[Le Roi]

He was extraordinary. Joking about doing stand up comedy about the good things about having cancer (and I think he may actually have done that in his home country of Belgium). I hanged out with him during CGW #1 and CGW #5 and he had an amazing energy and was full of laughter and jokes.

Seeing Daan do all that hugging during CGW #1 inspired me as I had a hard time doing that, and even my hug to Daan at CGW #1 was kinda standoffish. So I took his inspiration and worked on the issues and went to CGW #2 and hugged a huge bunch of people. Thanks in part to his inspiration, I'm a lot more huggable now and I was able to give him a really good hug during CGW #5.

I hear in the news sometimes about people who die and everyone around them are like "Wow, he was such a wonderful spirit and so positive". I was skeptical reading that about other people, but here that's so true. He will be very missed.

[joyfulgrowth]

Had just written a whole paragraph about him in an email to a friend two days ago, and was wondering how he was doing.

I felt especially inspired to hear how he had not been into hugging at all, noticed at CGW1 how much he loved it, and then went back home and came out to his friends as a hugger.
And then of course how he would just stand there at CGW5 with open arms and strangers would spontaneously hug him, while I was still considering whether I'd actually have the courage to "ask a stranger for a hug".
He was a model for me that growth is possible, that you can go back home from a workshop and change your life for real.

I also remember how he shared his intention to at least become the happiest person living with cancer.

And how he came back from Wholefoods with glowing eyes, saying he had been to paradise, because that's how Wholefoods felt to him, since they only have very small organic stores in Belgium.

Thanks, Steve, for posting the links - I just noticed that Babelfish does a pretty good job at translating his last blog posts. Here are two small and by no means representative parts of the (long) April 18 one.

He had just heard a week before that traditional medicine had given him up, that unlike what he had thought, the chemo he was doing wasn't meant to heal him, but only to prolong his life:

" The last couple of weeks have been enormously heavy emotionally. I have never had it that heavy, in fact. I weeped a lot. Writing this, I fight tears coming. The state of my emotions also changes from day to day. But generally I sit in one of the five stages of grief. (...) (...) (...)

I don't find it that terrible after all to die. I know that this is not the end.
My conscience will continue anyway. Death is simply the next step, and I will know earlier than you what comes after death! I'm curious! I'm looking forward to it! Aren't you jealous now? "

Hope you get to hug lots of people wherever you are right now, Daan!

[Hapafreak of the Universe]

So grateful I met Daan because of y'all. Was a dream come true meeting him & getting to experience his spectacular hugs & loving, joyous presence. I didn't interact with him all that much,(though I wanted to & thought of him & sent love his way every day) but felt such unbridled love & connection with him, very precious to me & so thankful we were long distance, in spirit friends... I can't explain it very well, but he touched/captured my heart & soul with his pure loving brilliance as obviously he did with so many others...inspiring. I am sad because I wanted to see him again here, I mean in person & wished I could've been there for him more...love you Daan! Miss you...hugs And thanks Steve... been missing you too since you left facebook. Much love and hugs.

[elucidate]

I never met Daan but he really touched me in the conversations we did have on facebook, and his spirit was just so full of life and determination. I wish I could have gotten to meet him in person, he was just such a legend.

When I found out today I was sort of devastated. It's amazing how someone you've never even met can inspire those feelings.

[roxyruby]

Daan you & your body is not functioning and working right now, I know they call it dead, but they just haven't found a cure yet but I love you & you don't deserve this! We chatted on facebook and you've always been in my thoughts, I've always wanted to talk to you more and thought I will see you some day. I planned to get rich so then I could be able to meet amazing people like you & make you happier. You are such an amazing person wherever you are, in non existence, but please come back, and I won't be happy until you are alive again. I wish I had known what was happening in your life and was able to talk to you sooner. God I wish that so much because you can't see this message! I hope you believed I would write something like this & be really shocked and devastated & that I cared about you so much. ~Sending infinite love. You are not alone! ~infinite love

[lookcloser]

Long back, when I was complaining about how I have no friends lately he reached out to me He told me he'd be my online BFF I didn't think such sweet people existed back then.

*waves at Daan* I love you

[marinik]

May his lovely soul he rest in peace.

Love m