In a world in which daily news is a constant reminder that we have lost our collective notions of character, honesty and drive, often at the highest levels of society, the sad news of the passing of this gentle, soft spoken man, with a vision of a better Canada , achived through sheer force of will and dogged determination, has made my place in this world a little darker.

I considered Richard Nemis a personal hero, in a world where heroes are far to scarce.

His charisma and intelligence drew me in close in the very early years of Noront, well before the "Ring of Fire" when the only real attraction to the highly speculative gold mining sector was the man himself. A lawyer, like me, but who had chosen to pursue his dream and give up the practice in favour of donning the boots, and facing the wilderness, in search of gold.

In those early days, Richard would always pick up the phone and speak with enthusiam and candor about whatever project was brewing. It was clear from the start that he was a man of considerable substance and integrity, and it was a pleasure  riding along as a shareholder on his journey. 

When the crap hit the fan during the terrible proxy battle that later ensued, many questioned why I would commit my personal time and effort in exposing those who sought to unseat him. It wasn't simply a matter of trying to protect my investment. Battles for control of publicly traded companies are common.

I got involved for one simple reason. 

Heroes deserve to be protected, and I considered it an honour to help if at all possible. And I sure wasn't alone. The love and support for the man, then and now, remains palpable. And the dedicated and crazy goup of hard core supporters who posted ceaselessly, and ultimately successfully, remain some of the finest people I have ever had the honour of associating with. 

Rest in Peace, Richard. Happy mining old friend. You have earned your rest. And you will be most terribly missed.

crazydik