Dear Scott,
I heard you last night when you came to speak to us, a group of teenagers and parents at a temple in New Jersey. I heard you and felt you as you revealed your inner life and lay it bare for us to know and enter into, if even for just that brief moment in time. And as I sat there listening, absorbing, inhaling your truths, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of your honesty and the sadness of your story. I wanted to jump in and change the course of your story so that it had a different outcome, without the pain and suffering you have had to endure as the price for seeking your happiness and your truth. And then I was struck by the awareness of how someone I barely knew could touch me so deeply. And I realized what a blessing you have made of your life, how you have taken your deepest, darkest secrets and brought them into the light, transforming them into a healing power for not just you, but for all those you encounter.
Your work is lifesaving and soul-enriching. Your enactment of your pill regimen spoke many more volumes than the well-meaning but often dreary lectures that define health education programs in schools everywhere. And your passion for life, for making connections and making yourself heard, makes those who meet you feel a little bit more known, somewhat more understood and perhaps a bit less lonely in the world.
Thank you for your awesome generosity, your passion, your beautiful soul. I get you. I will remember you. May you stay strong and healthy so that you can continue to savor life and touch as many souls as you can in the years to come. We need you to stay.