Some of us have been lucky to have worked around the Globe, in different continents, various countries and many cities. Fortunately, I have been one of those lucky ones, who have enjoyed the challenges of the many diverse cultures, different beliefs and unique ways of life, meeting interesting including uninteresting people and experiencing captivating, thrilling varied with tedious and tricky ways to life!
I’m sure to those of you who have had similar experiences will agree that we get to meet people whom we hope we will never meet again, we meet people who have become colleagues who are just work colleagues and nothing more, we encounter friends in our friendship network who become just a friend! Then we meet special friends, these are a different type of humans, these are certain people who become part of your life, part of your adventures, those special friends no matter where you end up in this world will still be very close to you, will still be there for you and part of them is etched in your heart, some call them blood brothers/sisters or soul partners…..I call them a “True Friend bonded for life”.
A very sad day for me as one of my “True Friend Bonded for Life” has finally said ‘Goodbye’ departing this world and gone to the afterlife which I’m sure we will meet up again. I share his family’s loss and as I sit here in an empty office in the desert of Iraq, I cried a prayer to our Almighty asking that his family be comforted with love and blessings during this time of sorrow, his family are currently arranging his farewell, so through respect and admiration I shall share my condolences sharing our time in the Police.
I have known Gary professionally, socially and personally. We shared perspectives, experiences and humor. He was full of life and a great soul who always brought joy, life and happy spirits to everyone he interacted with be it a stranger or foe.
I first met Gary in an Advanced Specialised Unit within the Police organization and we immediately clicked, there was three of us in our team, Gary, Steve and I, we gelled and bonded as True Blue Blood Brothers venturing into the dark and evil world to uphold the good and safety of the general and greater public! We rubbed shoulders with the nasty and ugly creatures of planet earth who deserved to be put away for a long time, however, in our line of work no matter how dangerous or ugly it was, Gary always found a way to humor and comfort us in the midst of life’s most difficult circumstances…. We were at the time an Unstoppable Ugly Comical Three! Someone could do a sequel similar to ‘Only Fools and Horses’ Hahahahaha…Those were the Great Good Ole Days…… Amongst the three of us we were known as ‘Ugly’, ‘Uglier’ and the ‘Ugliest’ the latter being fought as to held the title….lol
A claim to fame I can share in our line of work back in those days was being part of the team that assisted in the Securitas depot robbery, a large heist in Tonbridge, Kent, England where a ruthless gang conspired to carry out not only one of the country’s most shocking criminal operations ever – but the second largest scale cash raid in world history. It began with a kidnapping on the evening of 21 February 2006 and ended in the early hours of 22 February, when the gang left the depot with over £53 million cash.
We all shared common interests in life, with sports mainly rugby, we loved our dear families and most of all the obvious, we deeply loved our Beer….lol, oh yes we prized our pints to an extent that as soon as we were off duty, our fist venue before we went home was to enjoy a few bevvies in a bar, any bar as long as there was BEER and G&T, Gary did enjoy his G&T! Bless his cotton socks…
When I received the devastating news, I called Steve our third dearest ‘True Friend Bonded for Life’ to share the sad breaking news, as much as it saddened us we were laughing in tears as we shared the awesome, great and brilliant moments we collectively gathered in our old firm as three ugly men who enjoyed life and appreciated their work as servants to the people upholding law and order.
Rest well Gary our ‘True Friend Bonded for Life’ the Heavens above have gained an Angel, he’ll be the first ugly Angel until the other two uglier and ugliest Angels join him….lol.
Gary, you have served, you have lived and you have left a legacy and memories for life, your family will Love and adore you and your True friends will never forget you, goodbye Ugly, goodbye my friend, till that glorious morning, may your Beautiful and Loving Soul rest in Eternity xxx
living through life 
It’s a beautiful heartfelt piece for a friend, a comrade, a Brother. Condolences to you & his loved ones. May he rest in peace.