Remembering the Life of Delinda Dryssen in Both Worlds

Denise Williams and Delinda Dryssen, courtesy Paisley Beebe's tribute post

Last week's most significant news for New World Notes readers was also its most tragic: After a long bout with kidney failure, the woman behind beloved SL music promoter Delinda Dryssen died on Sunday, at the age of 32. In her last hours, she fell into a coma, but friends gathered at a concert space in Second Life, so they could communicate to her through a laptop that was propped next to her ICU bed. And in this way, they reached her: "You guys are still causing a distinct reaction singing and talking to her, according to her Doctor who is here with us again," reported Dan, the family friend who created an SL avatar in order to open a channel between both worlds. "We're seeing a tear in her eye again. I think she can hear you guys."

Singer and talk show host Paisley Beebe has a beautiful tribute to Delinda as she remembered her in Second Life, and on his blog, Dan has a moving tribute to Denise the woman he knew in the real world. But here as in many cases, it's a misnomer to speak of two worlds as if they were distinct. As Denise's cousin Tracey wrote in a Tweet:

Dee had pictures of about 30 or more of you from Second Life printed out and on a huge pegboard along with pictures of real life friends. I think you were all one and the same to her and I am starting to understand why.

More here, and over here.

Comments

[brinda allen]

It might be called Secondlife....but I have only one...and this is a part of it

[Von Johin]

Cypress Rosewood just told me the news. I'm so sad to hear of both our world's loss of this champion of the virtual world and ardent supporter of live music. She was a very sweet woman, lots of fun, and she will be missed greatly. This is the first loss of somebody I knew in SL, for me, and its made me realize that we should never forget that there is a real person on the other side of that dancing avatar. Rest in peace, Denise. Rest in peace Delinda.

[ColeMarie Soleil]

<3... I am forced to enter text along with the emote heart. Lame.