On Tuesday the 4th of November 2008 Michael Crichton died.

He lost a long and private battle against cancer, and leaves behind his wife Sherri and daughter Taylor.

Far beyond being a man loved by his family for his commitment to them,

far beyond a man held in awe by an audience that he continued to

enthral, Michael was a man that will forever be cherished for his

humanitarianism.

Not because he was a man who pioneered a charity, but because he was a

man who strove to return consciousness and thought to the common

citizen of the world.

A man who pushed us to the limits of our perceptions of how the world

works - and then gleefully nudged us off the edge to fall into a new

dimension of understanding.

One of the most prolific authors of his time, Crichton always sought to

delve unashamedly into those areas of science and politics that most

would shrink back from.

He brought through his works of fiction alarmingly real problems that

reside on our doorstep, and pulled many of us through our cobweb

infested dens of opinion to the point of an unyielding paradigm shift

of our minds.

More than anything he wanted us to think of where we are now and what

do we really need to concern ourselves with in our future. Among his

peers he was spurned just as much as he was loved for his works and his

iron strong support of certain theories. Most of all he spoke of our

great need to become a humble people, to admit when we don't know what

we're doing to our planet and to have the strength to say "we were

wrong," and to move forward with new understanding until our next

mistake.

To me, that means he advocated humanity. The preservation of our

species and all we effect. I was greatly inspired by Michael to search

deep within my world for truth that was not muddled by fear or drowned

out by ceaseless babbling. He pressed me to think over issues who's

validity I had never questioned.

I will always remain thankful for the path he set my feet down upon,

for he truly was an influence of great change in my life, though I knew

of him and his work for but a little time.

I feel sorrow for the loss of his life, and sorrow for the loss we have taken as a world.

But more than all I feel sorrow and regret for his family, who spent

less time with Michael than we, for he gave much of his life, to the

detriment of much of his personal life, that we might question - and

travel through life better equipped.

You will be sorely missed my friend, but we shall endeavour to continue your work to the best of our untested ability.

Rest well.

Yours faithfully,

Your admirers.

~ John Michael Crichton ~

~~~~ 1942 - 2008 ~~~~