The world feels a little emptier today. The dust is settling and the reality is sinking in. Another of the Sci-Fi community’s heroes has gone beyond the rim. And he shall be missed by everyone whose lives he touched.
Of course my thoughts go out to the friends and family he leaves behind first and foremost. They are the people who knew him best. But this post is primarily dedicated to his fans and in particular to my fellow Babylon 5 fans. In losing Jerry, we’ve lost another member of our beloved rag tag team too soon.
Babylon 5 is often overshadowed by the bigger franchises. But there are those of us out there in Sci-Fi fandom for whom B5 is something that will always remain deeply in our hearts, our minds…. Heck even our souls. B5 has given so much to so many of us over the years. And it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a fan, as a community we will welcome you into our fold.
The true genius of JMS’s show is still the genuine reflection of people and relationships. The way in which despite decades or centuries of hatred between species, characters form bonds in adversity is sublime. The way in which each character is flawed (and painfully beautifully so) adds to a uniqueness of this space opera.
As fans we’ve lost a large number of the cast we adore in such a short space of time. We sit and try to fathom why and we find no answers. But one thing we all know, as we support each other through this and send love out to Jerry’s loved ones, is that we are all better off for having had Babylon 5 touch our lives.
It doesn’t matter how the show touched our lives, just that it has. And continues to do so. Personally it has brought so much into my life, and a lot of it so private I cannot share it publicly. But it’s changed me. And Jerry, as Garibaldi, had his part in it. Garibaldi with his humour, his grumpy nature, his love of Daffy Duck… Garibaldi with his Alcohol Use Disorder and his heart of gold… The hairline that receded by season… These are the things that come to mind when I think of Jerry.
So my darling friends, and my fellow fans, grab those you love today and tell them that you love them, check in on that person you know lives alone, smile at a stranger on the street you might just make their day.
Rest in peace Jerry. The skies have gained another bright star and the Earth is less one more brilliant light.
From the stars we came, to the stars we return. From now until the end of time.
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